The Oceana Echo - Volume 1, Issue 30, December 22, 2023

Volume 1, Issue 30 DECEMBER 22, 2023

YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

Shelby Elementary unveiled to the community

It was a great day to be a tiger at the ribbon cutting for the new Shelby Elementary School, Saturday, Dec. 16. Superintendent Mark Olmstead, Senator Jon Bumstead, Board of Education President Jason Fleming and the fifth grade student council gave remarks at the event attended by hundreds of community members.

• Stephanie Burchfield-Clark and Amanda Dodge/Echo

‘The Nativity Experience’ in Hart

• Sharon Hallack/Echo

City of Hart moves closer to more construction at the Creeks Condominium Subdivision

By Sharon Hallack

The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

PERMIT NO 62

PRE-SORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE

RESIDENTIAL POSTAL CUSTOMER PAID ECRWSS BIG RAPIDS, MI 49307

Tuesday, Dec. 12, the City of Hart moved one step closer to giving up any ownership of the Creeks Condominium Subdivision, located on Creeks Drive east of State

Street. With two councilors absent, four councilors and the mayor gave their unanimous approval to Resolution 2023-50a saying, “The council appoints and certifies the Hart City Manager as the voting representative and person to receive all notices and communications for the 42 units, specifically units 9-12, 21-56, 59 and 62, owned by the City of Hart comprising a 67.72 percentage of total units and value owned as defined in the Master Deed ‘Exhibit A - Schedule A’ of the Creeks Condominium (and) Directs the city manager to work with the city planner, city attorney (with input from the Creeks Condominium Association) to develop an amendment to the condominium documents for future approval

by City Council to either withdraw the remaining city units from the condominium, or amend the condominium, enabling the remaining units to at-

tract future development interest.”

The resolution also included the history of the subdivision, stating, “Whereas, in 2003, the city began a public-private partnership with a local developer interested in constructing new housing. Whereas, at that time, the city authorized $632,799 in debt to build infrastructure for the new development to be repaid through a Special Assessment District while also creating new tax revenue.

Whereas, the city, including residents and businesses, suffered a loss of that repayment following the 2008 housing market crisis and subsequent bankruptcy of the private developer. Whereas, in the years following, Shelby State Bank assumed ownership of the property through the developer’s defaulted construction loans and afterwards attempted to sell the property for several years to recoup the loss.

Whereas, in 2017, the city purchased the property for $61,500 from Oceana County following tax default and has sought new parties to purchase and develop the stagnant project, finding little to no interest as it was originally designed.”

Being the owners of the subdivision has been challenging for the city, and having property available but difficult to build on has been frustrating for the community and developers alike. Various solutions have been sought, and numerous discussions have been had between various parties. During 2020–2022, little progress was made due to the pandemic and supply chain issues. Then, in 2022, the city was able to secure a realtor who was able to find a developer.

The developer has since built two duplexes, with another two under construction.

Currently, the prop-

erty is zoned as a PUD (Planned Unit Development) with specific zoning for triplexes and quadplexes. With the passage of the formal resolution on Tuesday, the planning commission will be able to amend the PUD’s zoning for all duplexes.

Following Tuesday’s meeting, Splane told the Oceana Echo that it’s been a process. “Early in 2023, a developer had made an offer to buy all the lots and build homes in the Creeks with the stipulation that all of the current homes had to be removed from the HOA. From a city manager’s perspective, that would have been the easiest for the city; we would be released from ownership and could have started collecting tax revenue.

But it would have been a dramatic move. I am proud of the council for considering the community over the city. They chose to create a com-

mittee to work with the association, receive input and come to a mutual agreement,” Splane said.

“The resolution amendment will go before the planning commission in February, and I expect changes to be in place by March.”

Probably the happiest people after Tuesday’s meeting were potential property buyers from the Allendale area who are looking to move to Hart.

The couple had put in a full-price offer on Lots 54, 55 and 56 nine weeks ago.

Since that time, they have been waiting patiently to hear if their offer was accepted. Splane said that since Tuesday’s meeting, the city has entered into a tentative purchase agreement with the potential buyers. The sale will be contingent upon the planning commission’s recommendation and the city council’s approval of the PUD and Master Deed amendments.

THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 22, 2023 2

Pentwater’s ‘noon whistle’ to ring in the New Year, to be sounded once daily thereafter

By Ron Beeber The Oceana Echo Volunteer Contributor The Pentwater Artisan Learning Center’s 275 members are a mix of both skilled folks who enjoy creating things and teaching others and neophytes wanting to learn. One of the PALC’s experienced members is Harry Brodbeck of Pentwater. He was a welder as a kid, and then he went to engineering school. He worked primarily for Ford Motor Company, and he’s been tinkering with cars since the age of 15.

Brodbeck was one of many who missed hearing Pentwater’s “noon whistle” after it stopped working several years ago. It was actually a siren that was installed atop the community hall many years ago to summon Pentwater’s volunteer firefighters to an emergency call. It was tested daily at noon, and even after firefighters began carrying pagers and cell phones, the siren was still sounded daily.

“When the old siren just stopped working, everyone quickly missed it,” said Village Manager Chris Brown. “Then one day, Harry asked if he could go up on the roof and take a look.”

Said Brodbeck, “In April of 2022, I got Chris’ okay to check it out (see sidebar story). I found that the siren had toppled onto its side and knew it would never operate again without some work. Using heavy rope and old-school muscle, Dean Lydey, Darryl Massa and I lowered it down by hand. We took it to the Artisan Center, where I disassembled it and found the problem. I then took it to Vandervest Electric Motor and Fabricating in Ludington to be repaired.

“But there was more to be done,” he continued.

“The wood shroud that protected the siren from harsh weather was in bad shape. The Artisan Center has a well-equipped metal shop area where I could make a new shroud out of stainless steel. It took me a few months because I first had to make different prototypes before I finalized the design. I made various templates out of paper, cardboard, and wood.

I also needed some stainless mesh screening that would keep out nesting birds.” Once he had all the stainless pieces, Brodbeck either welded them together or joined them with stainless fasteners, rivets, and custom-fabricated brackets.

“We wanted to give it a professional ‘fire engine red’ paint job that would last a long time,” added Brodbeck. “Luckily, I knew fellow PALC member Cameron Wroble. He’s an excellent artist and owns a custom painting and epoxy floor design business.

He converted a trailer into a rolling paint booth, so I hired him to do the painting in the Artisan Center parking lot, using very high-quality automotive paint.”

Brodbeck then took things a step further. Curious about the siren’s origin, he posted a photo of it on an air raid siren website (airraidsirens.net), hoping someone could identify it. Several did, saying it was produced in about 1933 by the W.S. Darley Corporation of Chicago, which is still in business.

It’s believed that the siren was installed on the roof of the community hall later in that decade, making it about 90 years old.

Well, there was one more challenge that Brod-

Monica Owens Your hometown Realtor Find yourself a Home for the Holidays!

Call on 23 years of experience Looking for a Lakefront View, Hunting/Vacant Land, help with Foreclosures, or are a First-Time Homebuyer - call today!

Cell: 231-750-2393 • Office: 231-873-3400 • PentwaterMonica@gmail.com

beck had to confront. A new location for the siren Correction, Harry. It can put a smile on EVERYhad to be found because the vacated, two-story ONE’S faces as they are again reminded that it’s community hall was no longer an option, and the lunchtime. new village hall is one-story.

“One day, I spotted a 70-foot-long electric pole lying on the grounds of Ken Adams & Sons Excavating,” he continued. “It was perfect. Kenny came up huge! He’s an old softy when it comes to the comHarry Brodbeck added this footnote to his munity and helping with stuff like this. I next figaccount: “Since (Pentwater Village Police) ured out how to mount the siren to the pole. And a Chief (Laude) Hartrum had a key to the second structural engineer friend advised how best to erect floor of the Community Hall and access to the it—in a four-foot culvert that’s in a 10-foot-deep roof, (Village Manager) Chris Brown said he hole filled with four yards of concrete. Josh Adams could take me up to see what was wrong with and his Adams Marine Construction crew did the the siren. As the chief opened the hatch to the job on Nov. 14. Big kudos to Ken and to Josh and his roof, he was bitten by a bat. It fell to my feet, team!” The siren is powered by a 220-volt line that and I threw a chunk of wood on it. Big bat, runs from the village hall. maybe 12-inches across, still alive and mad as Reflecting on the 18-month effort, Brodbeck hell. Had pretty big fangs, as I recall. Laude had said, “I made several new contacts and leaned on a scratches from the bat’s bottom teeth and two few friends to pull it off. It sure took a lot more than dang bites from the top teeth. We stuck the live me to make it all come together.” The volunteer projbat in a coffee can, and Laude took it with him ect has cost him about $5,000 out of his own pockto the Ludington hospital. The ER staff gave him et—$500 here and $1,000 there, Brodbeck joked. To the first rabies shot, and then asked if he had keep costs down, he reached out to a close friend the bat. Laude said yes, right there in the cofwho works at Alro Steel in Cadillac, and the comfee can. The doctor went to open it up, and had munity-minded firm provided most of the stainless the whole ER in an uproar when he realized the steel at a good discount. Other stainless steel pieces bat was alive. He gave Laude hell for bringing were furnished by Tri-Berry, Inc., a manufacturing it inside and told him that the county health firm in Hart. It also provided some key fabrication department does the testing. But -- the doctor because its plate rolling machine was bigger than added -- PLEASE kill the bat before you get over the one at the Artisan Center and was able to roll there. We were pretty proud of catching it, let the shroud’s large cylinder piece. Brodbeck is also alone alive. I’m told Laude returned to work the thankful that a few individuals have voluntarily next morning to find the office decorated in a chipped in to help cover some of the costs after beBatman theme.” coming aware of his ambitious project.

No one knows for sure where the tradition of a “noon whistle” got started. One posting on the Internet states that the practice began in a small town in central Wisconsin that sounded a daily noon whistle to tell everyone that it was time to crack open the first beer of the day! This story might be far-fetched.

But one thing is for certain in Pentwater. Thanks to Harry Brodbeck, with the help of a few others, the noon whistle will continue in Pentwater for many years to come. On New Year’s Eve, he’ll be sitting next to the siren’s control box in the police department and, at the stroke of midnight, will manually sound the siren. And then he’ll set the siren to sound every day at noon, beginning New Year’s Day. Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities “After working on this for about 18 months, I’m and Minimum Qualifications: really geeked to flip that switch in a few days for the • High school diploma or equivalent is required. citizens of Pentwater to enjoy,” says Brodbeck. “It • Previous experience in administrative support, will surely bring a smile to my face every time I hear office management, or related field is preferred. it.”

A bat in the belfry

POSITION AVAILABLE

Shelby Township Administrative Assistant

Team Percy Pet Center teampercypetcenter.com

Overnight Boarding Private Lessons • Daily: $25

Each additional dog from the same household: $15

• Weekly: $150

Each additional dog from the same household: $100

• Major holidays: $40 Each additional dog from the same household: $20

Adventure Companion 6 lessons: $200 After this training your dog will be: • Calm & well-behaved in public • Obedient to your commands • Able to walk on a leash • A pleasure to be around

Adventure Companion Plus 9 lessons: $275

After this training you will have: • A calm, well-behaved dog who is a joy to have around • The confidence to handle any situation with your dog • The peace of mind that your dog is safe and under control

Adventure Companion Pro 12 lessons: $350

comprehensive training includes FREE CONSULTATIONS This all previous package items and more!

Now Booking for Christmas ***Limited Space Available***

231-867-0489

PentwaterProperties.com

teampercytraining@gmail.com

• Certification as a Notary Public, or the ability to attain certification upon hire.

• Strong knowledge of official Township policies, and the laws and ordinances, record keeping, and access to public information, preferred, but not necessary.

• Knowledge of general office operations and administrative and clerical procedures and practices.

• Knowledge of Township services, organizational structure, and general operations to effectively direct and assist the public, preferred, but not necessary.

• Excellent customer service skills, including responding diplomatically to customer questions and complaints.

• Skill in the use of office equipment and technology, including computers, related software, and the ability to master new technologies.

• Ability to gather data and prepare accurate and timely records, reports, notices, memos and letters.

• Ability to multitask, problem-solve, and work effectively under stress, within deadlines and changes in work priorities.

• Ability to communicate effectively and present ideas and concepts orally and in writing.

• Ability to establish effective working relationships and use good judgment, initiative and resourcefulness when dealing with employees, Township officials, professional contacts, the media, and the public.

For more information or to set up an interview, please call the Township Office at 231-861-5853 during office hours or email info@shelbytownshipoceana.com.

3 DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO

Christmas memories

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

Jack White, Hart - I remember my wife, Priscilla, would do most of the work to get everything decorated and all the gifts wrapped before Christmas morning. Many years after everything was done, either Christmas Eve or some year’s Christmas Day, we would sit next to one another on the couch and drink tea with only the tree lights on. I will miss doing that with her this year.

Christmas is a sentimental time for most people. A time to recall celebrations spent together, or even apart, for one reason or another. It’s a time for Christmas letters and cards, special programs, parties, gift-giving and light displays. The Oceana Echo Dorothy Moul, Hart - One of my special mempolled some of its readers and asked for their speories is “Cousins Baking Day” for my kids and their cial memories; without exception, they all included cousins.

Even now that they are grown, they still try memories of the special people in their lives. to observe it somehow. Now I have a baking day at Becca Scott, Hart - I grew up in the Chicago sub- grandma’s with my grandkids. During December, urbs, where we drove through many neighborhoods the kids would often sleep one night under the tree, to and from church on Christmas Eve. At the time, but always on Christmas Eve. One Sunday, the whole luminaries were very ‘in.’ Brown paper bags held in tree tipped over on our son Dave while he was still place by sand, with a plumber’s candle lit in each lying next to it! We nailed it to the wall the next year. bag, lined driveways and sidewalks up and down Another fond memory for our children was when each street. Our family toured the neighborhoods, my mother-in-law, Esther Moul, would take each of her grandkids to see the Nutcracker Ballet when they finding the best street’s display! turned five. They always loved it.

Mark Platt, Hart - Every year, we would go to the Vickie Fenton, Hart - I have fond memories of movies, then to church, then to the grandparents. being a part of our church’s adult Sunday School My grandpa was the life of the gathering and always class, “G.O.A.L. (Giving One Another Love) group led put $2 bills on the tree. The house was full of peoby teacher Dan Hasty.

It meant so much being a new ple and food. I couldn’t tell you about gifts, as those Christian, newly married and becoming a parent. I didn’t matter. The part remembered was the peolook back at that time, especially our Christmas parple, the laughs and the traditions. Every year, there ties and have such wonderful memories.

I learned was someone who was pulling a prank. Such as the the true meaning of Christmas and how to celebrate time I convinced my nephew that he should stuff his with family. pockets full of chocolate candy. His mom was not so impressed the next morning, but I was quite proud!

On Christmas morning, my dad would read from the Bible about Jesus’ birth, a tradition I still carry on in Mark von Dostinon - My grandmother, Clara our family. This year will be extra special as I will read Morse von Destinon, was born to Roscoe and Joseit to my grandchild for the first time. phine Morse in the midst of a bad winter storm Nov. Frantt V., Whitehill - I would like to share a fond 30, 1898, at the old Morse farm in Benona township. memory of Christmas in Hart, Mich. My parents Her great-aunt Mary Morse came on foot to help dewould take us kids (I’m guessing in the mid to late liver the baby but had to wade through the snow to 50s) to see Santa in downtown Hart, and Santa would get to the house.

Grandmother would give each of us a small Christmas/Santa box of hard tell stories of how deep candy. What a treat. the snow would get out Jan Lathers, Mears - I remember ice skating on in Benona and how they Hart Lake, near East Main Street, with music, warm- would have to ride to church in a horse-drawn ing shed and lights. sleigh. They went to Mary Sheppard, Mears - Every Christmas grow- St. Stephen’s Lutheran ing up, my family would go to the Christmas Eve Church every Sunday Mass, and afterward we would go to the local Chi- through rain or snow in nese buffet and order takeout! Then we would take a wagon or sleigh. Plus, it home and watch “A Christmas Story” while we ate they always went on our Chinese food. I will always cherish those tradi- Christmas Day, even if it tions, and I can’t wait to start new traditions with our was in the middle of the week. Grandmother al- Clara von Dostinon kids! ways said she liked to go to church on Christmas the Nancy Hallack, Shelby - It was in the 50s or 60s best because that was when everyone would show when my husband, Clint, announced he was going to up in their Christmas gifts.

No one in Benona was wealthy at the time, so do his Christmas shopping. There was going to be an auction of new merchandise at the Ferry Town Hall. a person was lucky if they received a new dress on Every farmer loves an auction! He came home very Christmas morning. For the girls, most of the new arexcited and shared his purchases: a doll with a mink ticles of finery were small things like a new ribbon stole, trucks for the boys, a sewing machine for me, for their hair, or a crocheted hat, mittens or maybe and a table lamp with George and Martha Washing- even a sweater. These garments were always worn ton at the base. The shade was a collapsible one with to church and even during the services because the rings held together with golden chains. The lamp was church was so cold inside.

One Christmas, about 1915, Grandma Clara so ugly it was beautiful! Clint’s remark was, “I guess I got good deals with the exception of the lamp.” I wish wanted a red sweater. She received a nice one from I had a picture of Clint and that lamp. It was my fa- her parents, but when she opened another gift later on, she found a second red sweater. Her brothvorite gift. I am still giggling! er-in-law, Herman Ladegast, had a tattered old red Nancy Rakosky, Hart - We gather as a family sweater that he kept in the barn to wear when he did the day after Thanksgiving, when we all drive to a his chores. When removed from the gift box, it even tree farm and cut our trees. It’s a special time for all. had pieces of straw still clinging to it. Herman had There’s much laughter and teasing. After, we gather generously parted with it as a practical joke played at the family home for soups, sloppy Joes and des- on Clara. Everyone was greatly amused by the gift, serts. I love this tradition because everyone seems to except for Clara’s father, Roscoe Morse. He wasn’t see its importance. I hope the kids and grandkids will against practical jokes; he just did not think it was continue this long after my husband and I are gone. appropriate to give someone a pretty, wrapped present and then crush their expectations to find junk. I Kayla Kasza, Hart - We get together every year wonder what he would think of the white elephant for supper and the annual tree decorating at my mom gift parties we have today.

Note: Herman Ladegast married Viola Morse in and dad’s, grandma and grandpa’s house. We always watch “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” the same 1915. They had three daughters: Kay, who married Ward Bearss; Violet, who married Harold Fox; and night. I’m so thankful for family and fun traditions.

Esther, who married Ed Sanford; plus an adopted son, Roger Morse, who married Anne Near.

A tale of two red sweaters

Shelby Student Councils raise almost $7K in Toys for Tots drive This year, the student councils from all four Shelby Public School district buildings competed in a coin/cash drive to raise funds for Toys for Tots. The students showed their outstanding generosity by collecting a grand total just shy of $7,000! There were many incentives for raising the money, including competitions both against and within each building. The middle school collected the most dollars, which rewarded them with seeing their building principal, Mrs. Danielson, on WZZM-TV13 bright and early Wednesday, Dec. 13, in a Santa suit!

Each of the buildings hosted competitions within smaller groups, rewarding winners with hot cocoa, cookies and, of course, bragging rights!

New Era students raised a total of $475 with Mrs. Schmeiding’s fourth graders winning, and Thomas Read raised $730 with Mrs. Gowell’s third graders winning. The winners in the high school building were the freshmen class, who were the biggest contributors with over $1,500 for the building, while the middle school collected money in a “Coin War” for Toys for Tots. The total collected was $2423.31. Coins were positive points, and bills were negative points. It was quite a competition between individual seminar groups. The winners from the middle school were Mrs. Cederquist, Mrs. Glamzi and Miss Dorman’s classes.

These competition dollars were then combined with around $1,700 that was previously collected by the middle school for Toys for Toys, giving the district a total of $7,000. Shelby Public School student council members met Monday, Dec. 11, to shop and spend all the dollars raised.

The local Marine Corps made a generous donation as well, allowing them to purchase 753 toys for local families in need! Additionally, 163 other toys were donated during their money drive, putting them at an overall district donation total of 916 toys! All money collected remains in Oceana County.

Over 50 of our district’s student council members traveled to the WZZM-TV13 studio Wednesday morning to highlight their outstanding community work on the 6:30 a.m. Toys for Tots update.

All Shelby Tiger students, staff and families should feel a great sense of accomplishment for their amazing community contributions during this holiday season!

4 DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO This page is brought to you by:

Visit us!

The Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society is open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Private tours are available by appointment.

114 Dryden St. in Hart , Mich. 49420 (231) 873-2600

oceanahistory.org

Oceana County Schools: Golden

By Caleb Jackson The Oceana Echo Community Columnist

Continuing our whirlwind tour of Oceana’s old country schools, we stop now at Golden. In School District number one, we have Round Lake School.

The original log school house sprung up in 1864.

In 1890, land was leased from Adam and Sophia Baueman, allowing for the construction of a new frame building on the corners of North 56th Avenue and West Deer Road. The school closed down for good in 1960, when all the students merged into Golden School, Mears, and the building was finally torn down in the fall of 2008. From Mort Wiegand’s notes, we see that there was only one graduating student in the year 1905, a young lady named Jennie Benson. “Miss Benson is a promising young lady and deserves credit for her hard work,” an old newspaper clipping said. We can also see that “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was on the school reading list in 1892, so I guess not much has changed. The book was already 40 years old at that point.

Moving on to district two, we have the Batham school, located at the intersection of 34th Avenue and Ridge Road. We see that this school was organized in 1866 and received its first dedicated building in 1874, with a newer building being constructed in 1885. Batham school closed in 1950.

Thankfully, though, the building was saved and turned into a private home. An interesting news clipping gives us a peek into what school life was like in this rural Michigan school. “Pictures adorn the walls, house plants lend a charm to the surroundings, a good organ furnishes music, a fine clock ticks the hours pleasantly away, while the children are clean, bright-faced, and progressive.”

Another states, “One cannot find a better set of boys and girls in the county. In this district, there are a great many Swede settlers who take great interest in the education of their children…’

In district number three, we have the Willson school, which took a few different shapes in its time.

It seems before the Willson schoolhouse, there was the Happy Hollow log schoolhouse. We don’t have info on when this building was constructed, but an issue of the Mears Newz from 1954 tells us that one Josephine Pigeon attended this school in 1885.

“There must have been twenty pupils in school…

The principal game that furnished the recess excitement was pom-pom-pullaway.” A student named

Frank was charged with collecting acorns in a lard pail to feed Fred Wilson’s squirrels, and the girls had “long braids and hair ribbons.” From the same newspaper clipping, “Josephine recollects, they had built the new school, the Willson schoolhouse, on the hill west and north of the first location, and she could go out on the front porch and watch the steamboats go by.” Swift Lathers also reminisced about attending Sunday School in this new school building, and he mentions a “new cement brick schoolhouse” that was “built down toward Lurvey’s corners.” This was the second life of the Willson schoolhouse, constructed in either 1919 or 1920 and situated on the northeast corner of West Hazel Road and North Wilson Road. Mort Wiegand tells us this building was too small and in need of repairs, so eventually the location of the school was moved about one mile to the west, onto the corner of North 34th Avenue and West Hazel Road.

This was the third and final version of the Willson schoolhouse, as it would burn down sometime in the early 1970s.

Up next is the Hovey school, in district number four. Unfortunately, we have very little information about this school. The first was built in 1872 by a man named Leonard Adams. It is believed this building burned down and so a second school house was built in 1898. This building was located on West Harrison Road, between 52nd Avenue and North 60th Avenue. It exists but is now privately owned.

On West Fox Road and North 56th Avenue, we had the Mears school, and quite a large school it was. “It consisted of three rooms,” Wiegand wrote, “the first for K-1-2 grades, second for grades 4-5-67, third for 8-9-10 grades. Later, only eight grades were held.” There are a couple of Mears Newz clippings about this old school. “There were two schools long ago in Mears before I came here to the village,” one issue from 1968 says. “A big school building for big girls and boys… and a little school for the younger ones. Some folks thought the little building would be lonesome after the big building was hauled down by the railroad track for a potato warehouse, but the little school stayed right there and became the home of Mrs. Nellie Downing and her granddaughter.” The old Mears school was taken down at the end of the 1950s in preparation for the new Golden School building.

Lastly, we have the Silver Lake school in district number six. The life of this school was shorter

than the rest, having opened up in 1886 and closing down after a fire in 1931. It seems a meeting was held in 1915 to “see about a new site for a school,” but Wiegand tells us, “The meeting was adjourned and nothing done, just talk.” There is a rather humorous story resulting from the fire that ruined the school, though.

Alice was living with her grandmother (Katherine Feil) at the time. “Grandma went to the school fire, along with the teacher who boarded with us.

Grandma always milked the cow in the morning, but for some reason I decided to milk the cow for Grandma—then it became my job forever from that day!” After the school burned down, the rest of that school year was spent in the quickly fixed-up wood shed behind the burned-out school. There were only five children at the school, so the next year all the children were transferred to Willson School.

An honorable mention should also go to Swift Lathers’ Dune School. As Wiegand wrote, “The schoolhouse in the dune village was not a part of the county’s public school system, but the instruction was free, and the teachers gave their time out of the kindness of their hearts or the joy of the game.”

This, of course, was a part of the Dune Village constructed by Swift Lathers, which no longer stands.

To borrow again from the words of Mort Wiegand, “The whole program of the school was to make pupils love the outdoors and love the freedom of the duneland. In their notebooks, they paste leaves, shrubs, and flowers.”

The Oceana Echo © is published weekly at P.O. Box 192, Mears, MI 49436 • All rights reserved.

theoceanaecho@gmail.com • December 22, 2023 • Volume 1 • Issue 30 Office hours (Old Town Hall in Mears): Mondays: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesdays: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Office phone: 231-301-8149, or for breaking news, please call 231-923-0751.

Consider donating to The Oceana Echo Donations in any amount can be made via Paypal at paypal.me/echopublishinginc, by scanning the QR code at right or by sending a check made out to Echo Publishing Inc. to P.O. Box 194, Mears, MI 49436.

THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 22, 2023 5

Michigan Dunes Chapter, NSDAR honors Good Citizens Essay Contest winner

By Joni Wegner The Oceana Echo Volunteer Contributor This year, Michigan Dunes Chapter was assigned 16 high schools to contact and invite to submit an application and an essay from the senior high school student chosen by teachers, administrators, and their peers as the Good Citizen for the year 2023-2024.

In response, they received nine applications with essays. Those were from the following schools: Fowler High School, Greenville High School, Hart High School, Kent City High School, Mason County Central High School, Mason County Eastern High School, Pentwater High School, Shelby High School, and Wolverine High School.

A reception took place for these students on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, at the Mears United Methodist Church in Mears, Mich. Ten members were present to make the event a success. Those who came to help were Kathy Calabretta, Kat Danielson, Lisa Gomez, Michelle Hanks, Brenda Hilderbrandt, Gina Mundy, Linda Peterson, Nancy Rakosky, Susan Thomas, and Joni Wegner. Members brought refreshments for everyone to enjoy.

Guest speaker, Michelle Angell from Pentwater, spoke about what it means to be a good citizen. Her comments were very well received. Kathy Calabretta presented the speaker with a thank-you note and a token of appreciation.

The students in attendance were announced, and as they came forward, a parent came up and placed their Good Citizens pin as Susan Thomas presented them with a certificate. There were only three students who were able to attend; they were Clayton Isaac Shoup from Mason County Eastern, Eliana Marie Mandarano from Pentwater, and Sadie Suzanne Dyer from Shelby. Each student was asked what their plans for the future were. Students who were missing included Mitchell Wirth from Fowler, Sophia Grace Gardner from Greenville, Grace Marie Gamble from Hart, Gracie Sue Houtman from Kent City, Emily Elizabeth Adams from Mason County Central, and Alivia Noelle Doss from Wolverine.

Normally, the group has the winning essay read by the student who wrote it, but this year, that student had another commitment with the 4-H in her community, so Nancy Rakosky read the winning essay, written by Sophia Grace Gardner from Greenville High School.

Sophia Gardner was notified that she had won the essay contest, and she agreed to come to the 40th anniversary of the Michigan Dunes Chapter, which took place Dec. 9, 2023. Sophia and her parents did attend that event, and she was asked to tell the group about her plans for the future. She plans to attend Michigan State University. She was then asked to read her essay aloud.

Following her reading of the winning essay, Sophia’s parents were asked to

Tails of Hope Aspen is a 2-year-old neutered male boxer mix. He is very friendly and gets along well with other dogs. Aspen is learning to walk better on a leash and making great progress. Aspen wants someone to love.

Call 231-861-5395 if interested.

Aspen is available for adoption from the Oceana County Animal Shelter. If interested, please call the shelter at 231861-5395. The adoption fee for cats is $35, and you receive certificates for $25 towards spay/neuter and $10 towards rabies if not already done. The adoption fee for dogs is $95 and you will receive a $50 certificate good for spay/neuter, if needed. Every dog should have an ID tag. L.A.S.S.I. provides free dog ID tags to all Oceana County residents. To request tags, send a text to 231-730-3906.

Free tags are also available at the Oceana County Animal Shelter.

Meet Aspen

L.A.S.S.I. offers free dog ID tags The Local Animal Shelter Support, Inc. (L.A.S.S.I.) is still offering free dog ID tags to all Oceana County residents.

This service is made available due to a grant from the Community Foundation of Oceana County.

Putting ID tags on your dogs is important for several reasons: 1. Identification: ID tags provide a quick and easy way to identify your dog. If your dog gets lost or goes missing, having an ID tag with your contact information can help others identify your dog and contact you.

2. Reunification: If your dog gets lost, an ID tag can greatly increase the chances of being reunited with your pet. It allows anyone who finds your dog to contact you immediately, re-

ducing the time your dog spends away from home.

3. Safety: ID tags can also provide important information about your dog’s medical conditions or special needs. This can be crucial in case of an emergency or if your dog requires specific medications.

4. Peace of Mind: Having ID tags on your dogs gives you peace of mind, knowing that if they ever get lost, there is a higher chance of them being returned to you quickly and safely.

Your free dog tags can be obtained by texting your interest to 231-7303906 or emailing johnny2lips@gmail. com. Remember to regularly update the information on your dog’s ID tags to ensure its accuracy.

Sophia Grace Gardner, above center, was chosen as the winner of the Good Citizen Essay Contest. She is shown along with her parents, Good Citizens committee chair and chapter regent.

• Contributed Photo join her on the stage, and her mother placed the Good Citizens pin on her.

Regent Shannon Larson presented Sophia with a certificate and a scholarship check.

State Vice Regent, Dawn Brady, and several other guests congratulated Sophia on her essay. The essay has been sent to the state level to compete in the State Good Citizens Essay Contest.

Michigan Dunes Chapter, NSDAR celebrates 40th anniversary Dec. 7, 2023, marked the 40th anniversary of the Michigan Dunes Chapter, NSDAR. To celebrate this event, the chapter had its 40th anniversary commemoration Saturday, Dec. 9, at the West Central Michigan Research and Extension Center on Oceana Drive in Hart, Mich.

Those in attendance enjoyed sharing refreshments and family heirloom treasures. In addition to the members of the Michigan Dunes Chapter, other DAR members came to help celebrate.

Michigan Dunes Chapter Regent Shannon Larson welcomed everyone, and Chaplain Susan Thomas gave the invocation. Shannon Larson put together a nostalgic PowerPoint presentation of pictures throughout the years, reminding the group of members they have lost and events and projects the chapter has sponsored and/or worked on.

DAR of Michigan State Vice Regent, State Regent Elect, Dawn Brady, shared greetings in recognition of the 40th anniversary of the Michigan Dunes Chapter at the podium. Charter chapter members Sharon Hedinger, Paulette Highland, and Cheryl Highland were in attendance. Sharon Hedinger spoke to the group about how she became involved with DAR and shared some of her experiences with DAR. Michigan Dunes Registrar Paulette Highland gave an overview of the history of the chapter, and Cheryl High-

land shared how important family support is for DAR members.

Other notable members in attendance included State Treasurer Mary Fran Sobczynski, Muskegon Chapter Regent Sarah Deming, Pentwater Township Supervisor Lynne Cavazos, and this year’s Michigan Dunes Chapter Good Citizen Essay Contest winner Sophia Grace Gardner from Greenville High School.

Susan Thomas spoke about the Veterans Holiday Food Boxes that Michigan Dunes will be providing for Oceana County veterans. Brenda Hilderbrandt is the chapter Service to Veterans committee chair, and she has worked diligently to keep this project going over the past few years.

In 2021, the chapter was approached by the Oceana County Department of

Veterans Affairs in Hart and asked to provide food boxes for 13 veterans. Last year, in 2022, the chapter was asked to provide 25 food boxes. The project has been so well received that this year, 2023, the chapter has been asked to provide 50 food boxes.

Fortunately, members of the community and businesses have stepped up to help with donations that have allowed Michigan Dunes to meet this commitment. After the boxes have been distributed, an article will be sent to the Echo with more information.

A beautiful birthday cake from Hansen Foods and cupcakes from Cakes

by Alyssa were shared with everyone, and door prizes were awarded.

Favors of Christmas ornaments adorned the tables, and centerpieces of poinsettias were given as door prizes.

$ave with weekly specials MONDAYS:

½ off Appetizers TUESDAYS:

Kids Menu $1.99 for kids 10 & under WEDNESDAYS:

All You Can Eat Shrimp $17.99 THURSDAYS:

All You Can Eat Perch $19.49 FRIDAYS:

All You Can Eat white fish $15.99 Prime Rib Fridays & Saturdays after 4 p.m.

2430 N. 56th Ave., Hart openhearthgrille.com

Free ½ Foot of Onion Rings with Purchase of 2 Dinners.

Expires Jan. 31, 2024

Hours: Sun. 11-5, Mon.-Thur. 11-8, Fri.-Sat. 11-9

6 DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO

Ongoing

2023 December

Hart VFW Post 1329 Burger/Chicken/Brat/Ribs Night, first and third Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m., dine-in or carry out.

Through New Year’s - Deater Family Light Show, 6344 E. Garfield Rd., Hesperia, shows run on the hour, 5-9 p.m.

The Ladder Community Center: Tuesdays: Pit Stops for Men 12 & Up, 6:30 p.m.

Thursdays: Recovery Support Group, 6:30 p.m.

Fridays: Open Jam Session, 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays: Celebrate worship gathering, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 23 - Gentle Jingles Live Music & Yoga, EnerG Fitness, 5-6 p.m.

Knights of Columbus Bingo, 6 p.m.

St. Gregory Parish Center, 214 S. Peach Ave. in Hart Starting in January: Second & fourth Fridays Doors open at 4 p.m.

Dec. 24 - Christmas Service, New Era CRC, 9:30 a.m.

Dec. 23 - Pentwater Christmas in the Village Dec. 24 - Christmas Celebration Service, First Baptist Church of Hart, 9:15 a.m. and 10:50 a.m.

Dec. 24, Christmas Eve Service, Mears UMC, 9:15 a.m.

Dec. 24 - Annual Christmas Service, Newman CCC, 10 a.m.

Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Morning Worship, Hart Wesleyan Church, 10 a.m.

Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Service, Shelby UMC, 11 a.m.

OCAF welcomes animal lovers for Kitten Cuddle Dec. 24 - Bilingual Christmas Eve Service, Hart Wesleyan, 6 p.m.

The Oceana County Animal Friends (OCAF) will be putting on two Kitten Cuddle events and a Nail Trim Clinic at the end of December. The events - set to take place at 5714 Fox Rd. - will serve as an introduction to the new “romper room” that allows families to play and cuddle with kittens. There will be two opportunities to participate with the first happening Wednesday, Dec. 27 from 2-4 p.m. and the other on Saturday, Dec. 30 from 12-4 p.m. These are fundraising events and OCAF asks that each person donate $5 or bring a donation of unsented clumping cat litter or a pack of Friskies canned cat food. Nail trimming is $10 or a donation. All donations go toward helping OCAF continue to care for abandoned and neglected cats. For more information, call 231-750-5099.

Dec. 24 - Annual Candlelight Service, Newman CCC, 6 p.m.

Dec. 24 -Christmas Candelight and Communion Service, West Golden Wesleyan Church, 6 p.m.

Dec. 24 - Annual Christmas Eve Candlelight & Communion Service, Pentwater Baptist Church, 6 p.m.

Dec. 24 - Candlelight Service, New Era Christian Reformed Church, 6 p.m.

Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Mass, Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, Rothbury, 7 p.m.

Dec. 24 - Annual Candlelight Service, Rothbury Community Church, 9 p.m.

Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, First Baptist Church of Hart, 11:30 p.m.

Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Masses, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 5 p.m. (English), St. Gregory’s, 6:30 p.m. (Spanish) Dec. 25 - Bilingual Christmas Day Mass, St. Gregory’s, 9:30 a.m.

Dec. 25 - Christmas Day Service, New Era Christian Reformed Church, 9:30 a.m.

Dec. 25 - Christmas Service, Newman CCC, 10 a.m.

Dec. 26 - Tech Hour, Hesperia Comm. Library, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Dec. 27 & Dec. 30 - OCAF Kitten Cuddle & Nail Trim Clinic, 5714 Fox Rd., 2-4 p.m. (Dec. 27) & 12-4 p.m. (Dec. 30) Dec. 28 - Free Children’s Christmas movie, HAPL, 2 p.m.

Dec. 29 - Sensory Play, Hesperia Comm. Library, 10-11 a.m.

Dec. 31 - “Year in Review,” First Baptist Church of Hart, 9:15 a.m. and 10:50 a.m.

• Christmas Items • Clothing • Toys

• Furniture • Housewares • Sporting Goods

• Bedding • Appliances

186 N. Michigan Ave., Shelby • (231) 259-0246 All sales help meet needs in our community.

Obituaries In Loving Memory of our Family, Friends and Neighbors

Wayne Clark Bumstead

September 18, 1934 ~ December 9, 2023 Mr. Wayne Clark Bumstead, 89, of Newaygo, passed away Saturday, Dec. 9, in Fremont, Mich.

He was born Sept. 18, 1934, to Marion Clark Bumstead and Gladys (Tufts) Bumstead in Grant, Mich. He graduated from Newaygo High School with the Class of 1952. On Aug. 23, 1952, he married Beverly Jean Carpenter in Newaygo, Mich., where they raised three children, Richard, Sue and Jon. For 42 years, Wayne worked for Great Lakes Energy as a lineman until his retirement. Following his retirement, he assisted in the Safety Program Department of Great Lakes Energy. For the next 15 years, he traveled to schools in West Michigan, educating children on electrical safety, until his final retirement in 1997.

He was a member of the Newaygo United Methodist Church.

Wayne was a Newaygo City Council member for over 30 years.

For over 50 years, if you ever drove across the Newaygo Bridge on M37 and noticed the American flag waving, it was Wayne Bumstead and his son Jon who volunteered to hang these flags to celebrate our veterans and our freedom.

Wayne was active with the Boy Scouts of America; he was a Scout Master leading the Newaygo Scout meeting. Wayne led by example, following the Scout Law: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.

Wayne is survived by his daughter, Sue Ellen (Robert) McCreary; son, Jon (Cindi) Bumstead; two granddaughters, Jean Ricord and Jona (Mark Duwsett); three great-grandsons, Aaron Ricord, Ty Ricord and Evan Ricord; four great-granddaughters, Sophia Ricord, Sela Ricord, Lola Ricord and Esma Ricord; son-in-law, Matt Terrill; two daughters-in-law, Katie Terrill, Beverly Jean Hadley; Doug’s son, John Terrill; step-grandchildren, Ray Williams and Belinda Nickerson.

Wayne’s siblings are Nancy Carlson, Marian Saur, Linda Bumstead and Steve Bumstead.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Beverly Jean Bumstead; his son, Richard Bumstead; his grandson, Jesse Ricord; his great-granddaughter, Jena Ricord; and his special son, Doug Terrill.

Visitation will take place Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, from 6–8 p.m. at Fields-McKinley and Cremation Services Newaygo Chapel, 226 W. State Rd., Newaygo, MI 49337.

The Memorial Service will take place Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Newaygo United Methodist Church, 101 State Rd., Newaygo, MI 49337, with Pastor Martin Phillips, Ph.D., officiating.

Memorials are suggested to the Newaygo United Methodist Church, 101 State Rd., Newaygo, MI, 49337.

Wayne’s family wishes to thank the staff of Regency Nursing Home in Fremont for the great care given to their father.

Please share your memories of Wayne or sign the guest book online at www. fieldsmckinley.com.

Lynda Lee Bennitt

May 6, 1942 ~ December 10, 2023 Lynda Lee Bennitt, 81, of Shelby, passed away Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. She was born May 6, 1942, in Shelby, Mich., the daughter of Oscar and Grace (Wood) Kidner. Lynda was a lifelong resident of Oceana County.

Lynda was a 1960 graduate of Hart High School.

She later attended Muskegon Business College and West Shore Community College. Lynda worked in various occupations throughout her lifetime. She was the office manager at Kidner Crate Works, the family business, for many years. She also worked at Gray and Company and Mueller Furniture Company before becoming a certified nursing assistant. Her last occupation was as a C.N.A. at Lakeshore Hospital.

Lynda is survived by her daughters, Kimberly (Alex) Felt of New Era and Crystal (Paul Weirich) of Hart; 11 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren.

Lynda was preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Grace Kidner, and her son, Bruce Bennitt.

Cremation has taken place; a private family celebration of Lynda’s life will take place at a later date.

In Lynda’s memory, donations can be given to: Oceana Animal Friends, Mears, MI 49436, https://account.venmo.com/u/OCAFrescue or Harbor Hospice, 1050 W. Western Ave., Suite 400, Muskegon, MI, 49441, http://www.harborhospicemi.org.

Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements. www.harrisfhome.com

THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 22, 2023 7

Susan Ann LaPage

October 23, 1946 ~ December 12, 2023 Susan Ann LaPage, 77, beloved wife, mother and sister, passed away peacefully Dec. 12, 2023. She was born Oct. 23, 1946, in Saginaw, the daughter of John and Eleanor (Demsky) Pettet.

Susan graduated from St. Andrews High School in Saginaw and Central Michigan University with her Bachelor of Education. She taught for four years in Saginaw. Susan was married to Douglas LaPage Dec. 21, 1973, and moved to Pentwater that same year. She began teaching at Pentwater Public Schools in 1974 and worked to develop the entire art curriculum, where she taught K-12 students for over 35 years. She had a great appreciation for all forms of artwork and artists. Susan also taught history at Pentwater Schools and later, in retirement, continued to study and compete in online history competitions.

Susan found a great amount of joy in traveling all over the U.S.; she had a passion for showing her two children, Michael and Christy, all the wonders this country has to offer. Susan always loved taking her dogs along on the same trips.

Many of the trips revolved around either Walt Disney World or a beach, and many times a combination of both. Susan not only enjoyed the beach’s sunshine but also always loved walking the beach to look for seashells with her family.

In Susan’s retirement, she continued developing her art technique by forming pottery as a relaxing hobby in her free time. She always had a love for flowers, spending some of her favorite times picking them out at local nurseries with her family and then planting them all around their house. Susan also enjoyed a healthy relationship with Star Wars, where she developed a library of essentially every single Star Wars book ever written.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Vincent Catholic Church, 637 6th St., Pentwater, MI 49449.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 3 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023, at St. Vincent Catholic Church, 637 6th St., Pentwater, MI 49449, with Fr. Phillip Sliwinski presiding. Visitation will take place Thursday from 2 p.m. until the time of services at the Church. Interment will be at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, 2380 W. Jackson Rd., Hart, MI, 49420.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, is in charge of arrangements. www.beaconfh.com

Gary Lee Robinson

November 7, 1937 ~ November 24, 2023 Gary Lee Robinson, 86, passed away at his home on Silver Lake in Mears, Mich., Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. He was born Nov. 7, 1937, in Lansing, Mich., the oldest of two children to Kenneth and Marjorie (Bailey) Robinson.

Gary met his wife, Sharon Keefer, in middle school, beginning a lifelong love until her death in 2018. They are both survived by their three children, Terri (Paul) Sharpe of Silver Lake, Tim Robinson of Silver Lake, and Tamara Stanaland of Silver Lake/Gig Harbor, Washington; their seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and Gary’s sister and brother-inlaw, Ann and Chuck Chandler of Apex, N.C. Gary earned a Ph.D. in Safety Engineering and was a leading machine guarding expert for the safety industry and legal profession throughout the U.S., Central America, the Caribbean and Ireland. Propelled by a personal goal, he became an ordained minister in 1991, officiating many friends’ and family weddings. He had also been a certified pilot and learned to juggle to entertain his grandchildren because spending time with his family was the most important thing to him. He was the rock of the family. The person everyone went to for advice. The planner of family gatherings and vacations. The one who kept the conversation and jokes flowing. The magnet, the glue, the everything.

Gary had a lifelong love of the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. The people and community were important to him. He was instrumental in the creation of Golden Township Park, and both he and his wife were supporters of Grace Adventures.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Grace Adventures, 2100 N. Ridge Rd., Mears, MI 49436, or GraceAdventures.org.

The family will be celebrating his life in a private service.

Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements. www.harrisfhome.com

Obituary Information: We, at The Oceana Echo, offer our deepest condolences for your loss and are here to help you tell others about your loved one’s life and the plans you have made to honor, celebrate and remember them.

If you would like to place an obituary with us, please tell your arrangement specialist or email us at theoceanaecho@gmail.com.

8 DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO

News and Notes

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor • Community Notes: All Pro Dads had six more successful meet-ups in November. The 30-minute before-school club is a chance for dads and their children to enjoy donuts and juice while focusing on a different character quality led by the group’s facilitator. Included in each meeting is a “pride moment,” when dads are given time to tell their child why they are proud of them. “Service to others” was the character quality discussed in November. Numbers reported from each chapter were: Oceana Christian School: 74; New Era Christian School: 32; Pentwater Elementary: 21; Shelby Elementary: 50; Spitler Elementary: 61; Walkerville Elementary: 37, for a total of 275 participants. Each chapter is sponsored and facilitated by various community volunteers. Those wishing to donate toward refreshments for these gatherings should contact All Pro Dads facilitator Dennis Foley at 561-762-5447.

• Municipal News: The Village of Shelby will be sporting some new Christmas decorations in downtown Shelby next year. The council voted to spend $4,501 on new lighted Christmas decorations from Display Sales of Bloomington, Minn. The 4-foot-tall decorations will be hung from every pole on Michigan Avenue between Third and Fourth Streets and include four snowflakes, two candles, two wreaths, two zig-zag trees, and two bells. Smaller quotes from the same company were also received; however, the council wanted to go with the highest quote to ensure downtown Shelby looked its best for many holiday seasons to come.

• The City of Hart Police Department is pleased to announce the hiring of Officer Sean Robb to a fulltime position Nov. 30. Robb has 20 years of law enforcement experience working with the Clare County Sheriff’s Office and with the State of Michigan

Department of Corrections as a corrections officer in by anytime and put their names on the list for next the Muskegon prison. year’s preschool programming. A formal round-up will take place in the spring.

• School News: Walkerville Schools has been cel• Spitler Elementary and Hart Middle Schools ebrating the Christmas season in a variety of ways. celebrated Christmas Spirit Week last week with Their elementary school program, K-12 Art Show Reindeer Day on Monday (wear brown), Snowman and Christmas Tree Silent Auction took place Tues- Day on Tuesday (wear white), Deck the Halls Day on day, Dec. 5. The school also had a fun Spirit Week Wednesday (dress fancy), Santa Claus Day on Thursthe week of Dec. 11 with the following activities: day (wear red and white), and Christmas Tree Day on Monday: Holiday Headgear Day (hats, headbands, Friday (wear green). This week HMS students were etc.); Tuesday: Crazy for Christmas Day (dress up invited to get into the Christmas spirit with Grinch for Christmas from head to toe); Wednesday: Grinch Day on Monday (wear red and green) and ‘Twas the Day (all green and Grinch-inspired); Thursday: Ugly Night Before Christmas Day on Tuesday (wear pajaSweater Day (the uglier the better); Friday: Pajama ma pants).

Day (plaid and Christmas-themed was encouraged).

• Business News: The 1st Annual Hart E-Z Mart Pie-in-the-Face Fundraiser took place Nov. 15 through Dec. 15. All Blarney Castle E-Z Mart locations were challenged this year to come up with their own fundraiser for local food banks. (Pentwater’s Wishing Well gas station, another Blarney Castle location, recently redeemed coins from their historic wishing well.) Hart E-Z Mart set up individual jars with their employees’ names on them and encouraged customers to make their most generous donations.

• Diman Wolf Early Childhood Center (DWECC) The employees with the most donations on Dec. 15 had one of their three Family Engagement Nights would get the honor of being “pied.” This year’s top To Highsimulate 5 y Dec. 14, where families enjoyed making fake snow, three employees were store manager Amanda peppermint playdough and frosting cookies. “Our land and employees Zack Davis and Vickyproducts Pletcher. throu engagement nights are all about parents making In addition, the store sold raffle tickets to determine memories with their kids,” said Administrator An- who would be the official “pie-throwers.” SEET The winlab. We p drea Degan. The school also had a fun Spirit Week ners of that part of the fundraiser were Catalina Buthe week of December 11; Monday was Pajama Day; rillo of Hart, employee Gabby Quijas andthrough a Spitler anythi Tuesday students wore holiday hats; Wednesday School student named Abby. Highland said all funds was Wacky Holiday Socks Day; and Thursday stu- raised are being used to purchase food items for losimulate 5 years of DWECC environmental exposure, we put our dents couldTo dress like a holiday character. cal food banks during the holidays. currently has two openings available in one of its products extreme temperature fluctuations Please emailinside the four-year-old GSRP (Greatthrough Start Readiness Program) classrooms. Interested individuals can stop by the sharon@oceanaecho.com if you have SEET WeSt.push you see, so they can run school office at 306lab.

Johnson for an beyond enrollmentany weather any “news and notes” to share. packet. Degan said parents are welcome to stop

W:\BioGuard\10513 Bio_Tru_ Blue_Consumer_Rebate

W:\BioGuard\10513 Bio_Tru_ Blue_Consumer_Rebate

WE TEST. SO IT RUNS.

WE TEST. SO IT RUNS.

HIGH EFFICIENT FURNA $3,95

through anything.

HIGH EFFICIENT FURNACES STARTING AT $3,950

Your comfort is our concern

(231) 873-2665

W:\BioGuard\10513 Bio_Tru_ W:\BioGuard\10513 Bio_Tru_ Guard\10513 Bio_Tru_ Blue_Consumer_Rebate Blue_Consumer_Rebate onsumer_Rebate

WWW.ADAMSHEATINGCOOLING.COM

WE TEST. E TEST. IT RUNS. ITSO RUNS.

To years exposure, To simulate simulate 5 5exposure, years of of environmental environmental exposure, we we put put our our To simulate 5 years of environmental we put our products through extreme fluctuations inside the products through extreme temperature temperature products through extreme temperature fluctuations inside the fluctuations inside the SEET lab. We beyond any weather you see, so they can run SEET We push push SEET lab. We push beyond anylab. weather you beyond see, so any theyweather can run you see, so they can run through through anything. anything. through anything.

HIGH AT HIGH EFFICIENT EFFICIENT FURNACES STARTING AT IGH EFFICIENT FURNACES FURNACES STARTING STARTING AT $3,950 $3,950 $3,950

9 DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO

A Faithful Focus: Bread of Life Food Pantry

By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Contributor From the beginning of time, bread, in one form or another, has been a staple for people. Every culture has its own version, and even when there hasn’t been meat or other crops, mankind has been able to sustain itself with bread.

In John 6:35 of the Holy Bible, Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life; whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” The Bible is full of references to “bread.”

From the manna God provided in the wilderness to the shewbread in the tabernacle, from the poor woman’s last flour and oil to the Last Supper with Christ and his disciples, the place bread holds in spiritual lives is important as well.

Today, the “bread of life” feeds bodies and souls through the hands and hearts of many at the Bread of Life Food Pantry, located on Courtland Street just north of Larson’s. The pantry, founded in the late 1990s, began in the basement of the St. Gregory Catholic Church rectory over 25 years ago and is the only food pantry in the county that is open every week (Wednesdays from 3-5 p.m.).

With food prices continuing to rise, local food pantries are filling a void for many families. “Last week, we served 130 families,” said food pantry volunteer Lois Forner. “Our highest was 158 one week, but we usually serve between 120-150 families.”

Forner began volunteering with the pantry about 10 years ago after her grandson needed some community service hours for his Eagle Scout project.

“Longtime pantry volunteer Jane Thocher O’Meara was looking for more volunteers when I joined,” she said.

According to Forner, prior to the pandemic, people were allowed to come in and “shop” for their groceries in the pantry. However, since that time, they have changed their procedure. Now volunteers make up boxes with an assortment of available items for patrons each week. While it has limited some of the autonomy people would like to have, it has become a more efficient way to handle the weekly distributions. Everyone gets the same items, Forner said. Boxes usually always include meat or protein, bread, bagels, eggs, canned or fresh fruits and vegetables, and a goody or sweet item. Depending on donations and what the pantry is able to order from Feeding America, patrons receive a variety of items. “I try to make up a box that is as healthy as possible, and I always think about the kids when I’m handing out food,” said Forner.

Forner spoke for the 11 volunteers currently involved with the ministry, saying it has been a very rewarding experience. “Not everyone can make it each week; last week we had just eight volunteers.

We have done it with as little as three. But whoever is there wants to be there,” she said. “We try to be welcoming and respectful. We smile a lot. Behind the scenes, there’s always something to do too, whether it’s packing boxes, breaking down card-

board or repackaging items.”

Many of the families return week after week, giving them the opportunity to form lifelong friendships. “We care about our regulars. I suppose it takes courage to stand in line for food. I remember one family who had just moved. The father had a job but hadn’t received his first paycheck. They felt bad having to ask, but we were glad to be here. We help fill in the gaps for people,” Forner said. “We pray over our boxes as we’re packing, asking God to help us to have a good attitude and not to judge.”

Different volunteers are responsible for different parts of the weekly distribution. Someone places the monthly order with Feeding America. Forner said fresh fruits and vegetables come from all over the United States. “This year, with the abundance of apples not being harvested, one volunteer asked a local grower for permission to glean apples from their orchard. So for four weeks this fall, he picked nine bushels to be distributed at each week’s pantry.,” she said.

Others are responsible for going to the food “depot” in New Era and picking up the Feeding America orders and putting everything away at the pantry. More volunteers arrange for pick-up of the weekly bread and roll donations from Meijer, Big Apple Bagels and Bakery on the Corner.

This time of year, there are lots of canned goods donations. Forner noted that Spitler School’s annual drive usually brings in thousands of cans and boxed items. Forner also said sometimes there’s

not enough of one item to be able to provide it in everyone’s box. When that happens, she will either hold items until there are enough or set items on a table outside and allow patrons to make selections.

“We prefer not to spend our money on non-edible items, so donations of personal care items are always appreciated,” she said. “Occasionally, people will walk in and hand us money. This community is truly amazing.”

Forner shared about some of the more unusual donations in the past. One time, a trucker walked into the church office and asked if the church would like any coffee creamer. When asked how much he had, the trucker pointed to his truck in the street and said, “A whole truckload!” They’ve also received donations of locally roasted Dark Water coffee. “People love being able to get coffee,” she said.

Another time, someone brought in venison. Forner said the pantry can accept venison, provided it is processed commercially. “(These donations are) like pennies from heaven; I love it,” Forner said.

The pantry also holds a separate distribution once a month for parents to pick up diapers for their children. The pantry sometimes also receives donations of baby food, and volunteers will make sure to offer it to parents with babies.

Non-perishable, shelf-stable food items (not expired), personal hygiene products, as well as monetary donations and more volunteers are always welcome. Donations can be dropped off at either St. Gregory or Our Lady of Fatima churches or received at the pantry; however, please call Forner at 231-873-3086 or the church office at 231-873-2660 ahead so that a volunteer is available to accept any donations. Monetary donations are extra helpful because the pantry can purchase food through the Feeding America program at a much lower cost than if people were to purchase it at a local grocery store.

For monetary donations, checks or money orders can be sent to St. Gregory-Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Attn: Bread of Life Food Pantry, 316 S. Peach Ave., Hart, MI 49420. The church also has an online giving form on their website, www.stgregoryathart.org.

The Bread of Life Food Pantry is able to continue being the hands and feet of Jesus every week because of the generosity of a loving community.

Thank you!

4 SEASONS LANDSCAPING & EXCAVATING LLC Residential & Commercial Snowplowing 24-hour Emergency Tree Service

Update hours to Dec 22, 25, 29 and January 1st - new look if 4seasonslandscaping231@gmail.com you would like I think. They’ve run this for a long time.

(231) 760-7347

Shelby Township Synopsis of Meeting December 4, 2023 Regular Meeting called to order at 6:01 p.m.

Present: Marilyn Glover, Becky Griffin, Cindy Rapes, Scott Meyers, Richard Raffaelli, and four guests.

Items approved: • Minutes from last month’s Township Board Meeting • Bills approved for payment • Resolution #231204-1 Amended 23/24 Budget • Reappointments to Fire Board, Shelby Library Board and Planning Commission • 2024 Meeting dates and times Meeting adjourned at 7:09 p.m.

Copies of meeting minutes are available from the township and approved minutes are on our website, www.shelbytownshipoceana.com

- Marilyn Glover, Clerk Note: According to State of Michigan law, The Oceana Echo must be in operation for 12 months before it can publish public and legal notices to fulfill the legal obligations of municipalities and parties required to do so. The above meeting synopsis has been provided for the general public’s knowledge only.

WISHING you and yours a VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY and all the best in the NEW YEAR

HOLIDAY HOURS: City Offices will be closed Friday, December 22 through Monday, January 1 in observance of Christmas and New Years!

407 State St., Hart, Michigan 49420 Phone: 231-873-2488 Fax: 231-873-0100 Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday-Friday

#takemetohart

10 DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO

• On Jan. 1, 2011, the Oprah Winfrey WEEKLY SERVICE, Network (OWN) debuted on televiFROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, sion. The “Queen of All Media” had do,FROM FL 32803 KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, previously described her vision for network FL as one that “inspires our 628 Virginia Drive,the Orlando, 32803 viewers and makes them want to be 800) 708-7311 628 VirginiaEXT. Drive, Orlando, FL 32803 who they are on their best day.”

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. On Jan. 2, 1919, locksmith and farCUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. right politician Anton Drexler founded 257 the German Workers’ Party, the fore45_20231218 257 runner of the Nazi Party, in Munich, Germany, from a group that met regSTRANGE BUT TRUE #12345_20231218 ularly to discuss political matters.

2023 NOW HERE’S A TIP #12345_20231218 Among other things, the party advoFOR RELEASE DEC. 18,for 2023 cated nationalism and extreme FOR RELEASE DEC. 18, 2023 antisemitism.

By Lucie Winborne On Jan. 3, 1521, Martin Luther was excommunicated from the Roman

By JoAnn Derson Catholic Church by Pope Leo X after he failed to recant 41 parts of his Ninety-Five Theses, which started the Protestant Reformation. The pope had called the offending statements heretical, scandalous and offensive to pious ears, though he did not specify exactly which ones fell under that category.

On Jan. 4, 1957, the Hamilton Electric 500 watch made its public debut.

It was the first timepiece to never need winding (though it did need frequent battery replacement) and came in “modern” asymmetrical designs to reflect its revolutionary technology.

Production ended 12 years later with the advanced technology of quartz movements that rendered the “watch of the future” obsolete.

On Jan. 5, 1992, a landslide that occurred near San Francisco killed 33 people and caused the Golden Gate Bridge to close. Heavy rain in the amount of nearly half of the city’s average annual precipitation had previously fallen for a straight 36 hours On Jan. 6, 2000, a severe flu outbreak in the United Kingdom caused National Health Service hospitals to be stretched to their limits, leaving many forced to cancel all nonemergency surgeries and facing intensive care bed shortages. The outbreak was blamed on a low rate of flu vaccinations.

On Jan. 7, 1927, the first transatlantic telephone service was established. A three-minute call between New York and London cost about $45, which would translate to roughly $550 today. © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

By Lucie Winborne • It might be hard to get or stay motivated for exercise once we’ve dipped into shortened days and lower temperatures. Exercise is so important to your health, so get it any way you can.

Did you know that a half-hour snowball fight can burn 100 calories? Get out there and enjoy the winter weather! — JoAnn • If you frequently face snow in your area, invest in a pair of running shoes that are designed for trail running.

They have deeper cleats for better traction. Some are even waterproof.

This will encourage you to run when it’s been snowing!

• “To help your sneakers dry faster, remove the laces and sock liner and hang separately. Stuff them with newspaper to draw out moisture. Hang them to dry on a sturdy hook or line, but not too close to a heater, as it’s possible to break down the support materials that way.” — E.D. in Minnesota • “If you are outdoors on freezing days, you know to dress in layers.

When you exercise outside, you do that too, but be prepared to strip off a layer if you get overheated. I have a carabiner clip on my waistband, and I can clip my outer light jacket to it, or even my fleece, through a button hole.” — P.S. in Virginia • “Here’s a tip about sledding in a pinch: A laundry basket can make a fine sled for a small, sturdy kid, especially if you are blessed with surprised snow! If you attach a rope or belt to one side of the basket, it’s easy to pull the kids along.” — M.B. in Missouri Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

• We should all be so lucky as to have vision like that of the mantis shrimp: Not only do its eyes possess four times as many color receptors as a human’s, it can see UV, visible and polarized light as well.

• The rise in global temperatures has led to flowers emitting less scent.

• Lightning hasn’t brought down an airplane since 1963, thanks to engineering that allows a bolt’s electric charge to run through and out of the aircraft.

• Spinraza, a drug prescribed for spinal muscular dystrophy, has a list price of $750,000.

• By 2018, more than 100 people living in the U.S. owed at least $1 million in federal student loans.

• A one-euro breakfast featured at an IKEA store in the Netherlands proved so popular that it had to be canceled after it attracted too many customers and even led to highway traffic jams.

• Kellogg’s All-Bran cereal is actually 87% bran.

• Heading for the gym in the new year? Be sure to take some hand sanitizer! A report found that a typical gym’s free weights boast 362 times as much bacteria as a toilet seat.

• During the Cold War, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev agreed to put aside their political differences if Earth was ever invaded by aliens from outer space.

• Nicaraguan Catholics who abstain from meat during Lent include iguanas and armadillos in their diet.

• In 1978, Equatorial Guinea’s President Francisco Macias Nguema, widely considered one of history’s most brutal, possibly even insane dictators, tempted fate by changing his country’s national motto to “There is no other God than Macias Nguema.”

• More than four tons of old American paper money is mulched into compost every day. *** Thought for the Day: “Your life is your story. Write well. Edit often.” — Lisa Nichols © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 22, 2023 11

10.99lb.

USDA CHOICE

Porterhouse

O

Steak

9.99lb.

USDA CHOICE

T-BONE

Steak

12

2/$

LOBSTER TAILS 4 OZ. EA. FROZEN

1.99lb.

9.49lb.

bone-in

PORK SHOULDER

NICE LITTLE

ROAST

LAMB CHOPS

2.99lb.

3.99lb.

pork back RIBS

80% LEAN

GROUND BURGER

1.69lb. whole

chicken FROZEN

5.99lb.

2.49lb.

HANSENVILLE HOMEMADE asparagus, cheddar & sweet onion

whole pork

tenderloin

brats

Your

Culinary Grocer!

In House Bakery Delicatessen - Hot & Cold Over 1000 wines in stock State Minimum Pricing on Liquor Premium Cigars

Copies/Fax Notary Public Money Orders Postage Stamps Photo Machine

Weekly in-store specials!

HansenFoodsHart.com

UPS Drop Off Laminating Dry Cleaning Pickup Shoe Repair Pickup Old Fashion Service!

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK MON. - SAT. 8AM-8PM SUNDAY 8AM - 7PM Tuesday is Senior Citizens Day! Shoppers 60+ = 5% discount!

231-873-2826 3750 Polk Rd., Hart, MI 49420 THIS AD IS GOOD FROM MONDAY-SUNDAY • DECEMBER 25-31, 2023 Rewards Program

Due to supply uncertainty some items may be out of stock. We are unable to provide rain checks at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Descriptive, typographic and photographic errors are subject to correction and we shall have no liability of any kind for such errors.

produce

12 DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO

1.49 lb.

99¢ lb.

Roma Tomatoes

Jumbo Red or White Onions

4/$

Haas Avocados

2.99 lb.

79¢ lb.

2.99 ea.

Red or Green Seedless Grapes

Russet Baking Potatoes

5

Pineapple

Imported

69¢ ea.

4.99 ea.

3.99 ea.

Lemons or Limes

Red Grapefruit

Califonia Navel Oranges

3 lb. bag

4 lb. bag

3.99

Eckrich Smoked Sausage, Polska, Klebassa, Lil Smokies or Smok-Y Breasfast Links

cooler 5.99 ea

Best Choice Breaded Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp

9.99 Best Choice

5.99 Best Choice

Shrimp Ring

16 oz. pkg., Frozen

Sliced Smoked Bacon

9 oz., frozen

16 oz. pkg., Reg. & Thick

8.3-14 oz., Sel. Var.

ea 5.99 Best Choice Peeled,

Deveined, Tail-Off Raw

Shrimp

6 Land O’Frost Premium Deli Lunch Meat 2/$

12 oz. Bag, 31-40 ct., Frozen

16 oz. bag

Bar S Franks 1.69 16 oz. Pkg., Sel. Var.

3.99

Armour Meatballs 14 oz., Sel. Var.

More weekly savings in store!

open with fall/winter/spring hours: MONDAY - SATURDAY 8 AM - 8 pm., Sunday 8 am - 7pm

2.99

DAIRY

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter or Brummel & Brown Spread 15-16 oz., or

I Cant Believe It’s Not Butter Spray 8 oz., Sel. Var.

1.99

Best Choice Sour Cream 16 oz., Sel Var.

4.59

Dutch Farms Crackers Cuts

10 oz., Assorted Variety

2/$

4

Dutch Farms Cream Cheese

Reg or Light 8 oz. box

THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 22, 2023 13

BUY 5 SAVE $ 5 MIX & MATCH

4 3 1 1 49 49 Cookies =3 = 2 Breakfast Easy Cheese Bisquits 49 $ 00 -

49 $ 00 -

$

$

Each

$

Nabisco

Each

Nabisco BelVita

Each

9.5-13 oz., Sel. Var.

Each

5 ct., Sel. Var.

8 oz., Sel. Var.

3 1 49 =2 Crackers

Cookies

49 $ 00 -

10 oz., Sel. Var.

$

Each

$

Each

Zesta or Krispy

16 oz., Sel. Var.

8.1-14 oz., Sel. Var.

Fritos 9.25 oz.

Cheetos 7.5-8.5 oz.

Sel. Var.

7

Pringles

Snacks

12.5-17 oz.

Sel. Var.

3.99 Best Choice

Each

Each

Chips

3 Best Choice

Velveeta

Loaf

6.99

32 oz., Sel. Var.

5

16 oz., Sel. Var.

16 oz.

Sel. Var.

15-16.5 oz.

Sel. Var.

5 Ro-Tel

1.29 Best Choice

¢ 59 Best Choice

1.99 Best Choice

Tomatoes

10-15 oz.

Sel. Var.

1-1.25 oz.

Sel. Var.

16 oz.

Sel. Var.

24 Pack Half Liter Bottles

4/$ Diced

10 oz., Sel. Var.

1.19 Best Choice

Pasta In Sauce 14.75-15 oz.

Sel. Var.

1.49 Best Choice

Brownie Mix

18.3-18.9 oz.

Sel. Var.

5/$

5/$

Blackeye Peas

Beans

Pasta

Tomatoes

Dressing

Chili Mix

5 Best Choice

1.29 Best Choice

2/$

Chunky

Complete Mix

Soup

Mashed Potatoes

18.6-19 oz.

Sel. Var.

4 oz., Sel. Var.

¢ 89 Best Choice

Macaroni & Cheese 6.5-7.25 oz.

Sel. Var.

1.49 Best Choice

2.49 Best Choice

Jelly

Pancake & Waffle Mix

Grape or Apple 18 oz., Sel. Var.

5

4.9-5.57 oz.

Sel. Var.

Best Choice

Drinking Water

3/$

Potato Crisps

5 Best Choice

2/$

Each

9-16 oz., Sel. Var.

Frito-Lay

Party Size

$

49 $ 00 -

$

2/$

Nabisco Premium or Soup & Oyster

2 1 49 =1 Saltine Crackers

4 1 49 =3

9 Frito-Lay

Each

$

Each

Nabisco Family Size

2/$

Each

49 $ 00 -

Each

Nabisco Newton’s Fruit Chewy

$

$

$

3 1 49 =2 49 $ 00 $

Each

Nabisco Chips Ahoy!

$

3 1 49 Crackers =2 49 $ 00 $

Complete

28-32 oz., Sel. Var.

Lasagna 1.99

Best Choice

12-16 oz., Sel. Var.

3.69 Best Choice Peanut Butter

28 oz., Sel. Var.

2.99 Best Choice

Cranberry Juice or Cocktail Juice 64 oz., Sel. Var.

14 DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO

5.99

bakery

16.99

Pecan Bourbon Tart

Peach Praline Pie

4.99 Fresh Baked

4.49

King’s Hawaiian Rolls

Sugar Cookies

12 ct bakery

12 ct

deli

We Haven’t Been This Excited For A New Year Since Last Year.

Here’s To All The Broken Resolutions. Cheers! Da Deli Crew

Dietz & Watson

Hansen’s Homemade

Buffalo Chicken Breast . . . . . . . . . . . .7 .99 lb .

Pepper Jack Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 .99 lb .

Take N’ Bake Spinach Artichoke Dip . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 .99lb .

Old Tyme

Take N’ Bake Buffalo Chicken & Ranch Dip . . . . . 5 .99 lb .

Provolone Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 .99 lb .

Cherry Jalapeno Cheese Balls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 .99 lb .

Cedar Hollow Cherry Wood Smoked Ham . . . . . . . . 6 .99 lb .

Terrapin Ridge Farms $1 .00 Off All Their Epic Products Dips, Spreads, Jams, etc .

2/ 6 Red Baron

Air Fryer Ready Party Wing Trays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 .99lb .

BEVERAGE

Thin Crust

Pizza

15.77-23.45 oz Sel. Var.

Pizza

3.99 Pepperidge

15.99 Stouffer’s

Cakes

Entrees

Farm Layer

Family Size

19.6 oz., Sel. Var.

57-96 oz.

Sel. Var.

5.99 Best Choice

Ice Cream 4 qt., Sel. Var. Best Choice

13.8-15.1 oz.

Sel. Var.

7-Up 4.99 12 Pack Cans Plus Deposit

2/ 4 $

Waffles or Pancakes 12.3-16.5 oz., Sel. Var.

1.00 Best Choice

3.49 Vegetables Onion Rings 20 oz., Sel. Var.

Air Fryer Ready Assorted Appetizer Party Trays . . . . 4 .99lb .

$ 10 3/ Jack’s Original

$

Best Choice

Blue Cheese Dip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 .99 lb .

Basic Steamable 12 oz., Sel. Var.

2.29 C4

$ 2/ 7 Polar

Sparkling Water

8 Pack Cans Plus Deposit

$ 2/ 14 12 Pack Cans

Performance

Coke

16 oz. Plus Deposit

Plus Deposit

Energy Drink

2/$9 Coke

6 Pack .5 ltr. Bottles Plus Deposit

$ 4/ 5 Glaceau

Vitamin Water

20 oz. Bottles

THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 22, 2023 15

SPORTS

HART • HESPERIA • PENTWATER • SHELBY • WALKERVILLE

Hart boys survive third quarter push, remain unbeaten in conference play By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor HART – The first month of the boys basketball season has brought plenty of learning experiences for Hart and head coach Nick Bronsema. Those lessons kept coming on Tuesday, Dec. 19 when the Pirates eked out a 53-50 win over Ravenna.

The Pirates roster is chocked full of guys that are still adjusting to the change of pace from JV play. Seven of the 13 players available to Bronsema are seeing their first action on varsity this season and while they’ve shown promise, there’s been plenty of inconsistencies to clean up.

“To be honest, I was super tense before (the game) because many of us – the majority of us – are still learning to play at the varsity level,” Bronsema said. “Ravenna was prepared and they got off to a good start. Our guys didn’t crawl into a hole, they fought back.”

Ravenna’s quick start was courtesy of back-to-back buckets from senior Carter Schullo. Starting the game off with a strike from three-point range, Schullo followed up with a powerful dunk to breathe life into the Bulldogs immediately.

Hart didn’t stay down for long however, as their big men started to take control. Senior Blake Weirich orchestrated the offense for a good portion of the first quarter, resulting in open looks for both himself and sophomore teammate Caleb Ackley. Both took advantage and with the likes of Brendan Hiddema, Kaden

Bond and Ty Schlukebir also getting involved, the Pirates quickly owned a 15-13 lead after the initial period.

Schlukebir had perhaps one of the biggest plays of the

Hart junior Kaden Bond leaves the floor on a layup attempt. Bond scored 14 points in a 53-50 win over Ravenna on Tuesday, Dec. 19. • Brendan Samuels/ ECHO

first quarter, baiting a Ravenna defender into contact on a shot from beyond the arc to set up three free throw opportunities. That play came as time expired on the first eight minutes of play and allowed Hart to jump in front of Ravenna when Schlukebir connected on all three.

Blows continued to be traded into the second quarter with Weirich and Bond doing the majority of the heavy lifting. Ravenna managed to hang around, benefitting from good work on the offensive boards that set up multiple shot opportunities on each possession. Still, Hart managed to increase their advantage to five, leading the Bulldogs 28-23 at halftime.

The third quarter featured a much more spread out attack from Hart. Weirich, Hiddema, Schlukebir, Ackley and Miguel Escamilla all hit one shot each, but that wasn’t enough to match their counterparts.

Ravenna exploded for 18 points in the third quarter, riding the hot hand of senior Wyatt Young who scored nine of his 12 points in that frame alone. Young’s offensive prowess mixed with coordinated attacks from Blake Homoly, elevated the Bulldogs to a 41-40 lead heading into the game’s final quarter.

Hart has been notoriously plagued by slow starts in the second half this season. Bronsema was less than pleased with the effort his team showed coming out of half, a big reason his message to his team was much more spirited than most.

“In that huddle I may have raised my voice a little

Hart Boys Basketball continued on page 16

Eman Hertzler

Michael Chavira

Ty Thomas

Logan Jorissen

Joseluis Andaverde

Jose Chavira

Hart hosted the 21st Mark Bosse Memorial Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 16. Read more on the day’s winners in Wrestling on page 16. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

21st Mark Bosse Memorial Invitational

The Echo’s Sports Section is Sponsored by Family Owned 231-873-3774 and Operated: 231-873-3774 info@swihartseptic.com

Fast and Reliable Septic System Service 4491 N. 88th Ave. in Hart

16 DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO

Hart boys basketball bit,” Bronsema said. “That’s because I was challenging them because I knew they had more in them. I knew that was a big moment for us because we didn’t finish against Grant and that game was similar (to this one). This was a chance for us to finish and (Ravenna) had the momentum. Our M.O. this year has been not the best starts in the second half.”

The Pirates responded to their coach and that led to a much more fluent offense in the fourth quarter. Ackley and Bond combined for the first six points of that frame, pushing Hart back in front.

Ravenna was able to tie the game at 4646 thanks to baskets made by Schullo and

Homoly, but that was the closest the Bulldogs would get.

After Ackley (12 points) pulled Hart ahead with a basket down low, Weirich (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Bond each made contributions at the charity stripe to put the game away. Bond (14 points, five assists) scored seven points in the final frame alone.

“Kaden Bond means everything to this team,” Bronsema said. “He, Blake Weirich and Caleb Ackley all spend a ton of time on basketball. We try to teach them that the more you love something, the more you’ll get from it. He had some shaky times in the beginning of the year and

Hart junior Ty Schlukebir charges past a Ravenna defender on the baseline with his eyes on a possible scoring opportunity. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

continued from page 15

he’s not perfect – none of our kids are.

But you can see his development working here. He’s gained that confidence because he’s put the time in and now he believes.”

The win comes at a critical moment for Hart (3-5, 3-0 WMC Rivers). The Pirates will not play another game until the calendar flips to 2024 and a win in the conference should boost their morale as they prepare for their next test.

That comes in the form of North Muskegon who, at the moment, stand a perfect 7-0 on the year with four of those

games against conference opponents.

“You don’t get a night off against the kind of coaches we have in this league,” Bronsema said. “No matter what kind of team they have, you’re going to receive good coaching. (North Muskegon) is a group that’s really gelling and they’re a group of a lot of guards that are just flying around the ball and having fun out there.

We’ve been given the gift of time over this break and my hope is that we can build ourselves up to be more close knit and to work even harder.”

Hart junior Kaden Bond extends his body nearly horizontal with the floor as he releases a layup attempt. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

Wrestling By: Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Editor HART – The Hart wrestling team hosted 15 other schools on Saturday, Dec. 16 for the 21st Annual Mark Bosse Memorial Invitational.

Other schools in attendance included Three Rivers, Holton, Whitehall, Fruitport, Manton, Ludington, Mason County Central, Oakridge, Mancelona, Mona Shores, Ravenna, Grant, Tri County and Muskegon.

Several Pirates had successful performances. Starting off with the 106-lb. weight class, Jose Chavira took second place. Ty Thomas (138-lb.) and Josue “Chico” Salgado (157-lb.) also scored second place finishes.

continued from page 15 Though Chavira wasn’t able to finish at the top of the 106-lb. weight class, he did score one of the more impressive wins of the day. Chavira downed Whitehall’s Cody Manzo who ranked No. 8 in the state heading into the day.

Two Hart grapplers pulled in top finishes as Joseluis Andaverde (144-lb.) and Ivan Lara (215-lb.) both placed first in their weight classes.

Taking third place was Alex Hicks (175lb.), Adrian Tice (190-lb.) and Adrian Lara (285-lb.). Aiden Schaner (106-lb.), Halen Boos (132-lb.) and Logan Jorissen (138-lb.) all scored fourth place finishes.

The Pirates will be back in action Wednesday, Jan. 3 when they compete in a meet hosted by Shelby.

AFFORDABLE APPLIANCE REPAIR OF WEST MICHIGAN Serving Oceana County & Surrounding Areas!

SICK APPLIANCES? THE DOCTOR IS IN!

Celebrating the Tatros

Terry and Linda Tatro were honored at halftime of the Hart boys basketball game on Tueday, Dec. 19. The Tatros were presented with an award commemorating their more than 20 years of service as coaches of Hart’s cross country programs. Under their tenure, Hart won several state championships and had many All-State runners. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO

We also replace Water Heaters and Water Softeners

All Makes and Models Refer us to your friends!

(231) 854-2377 Cell: (616) 821-9109

THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR DECEMBER 22, 2023171 THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 22, 2023

Reflections of our community

White Lake Mirror YOUR LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NONPROFIT NEWS SOURCE

Santa Claus is comin’ to town Cookie Crawl brings shoppers out The White Lake Area Chamber and Visitors Bureau celebrated the first White Lake Cookie Crawl Saturday, sending about 80 participants to the streets of Whitehall and Montague in pursuit of sweet treats.

Participants, who paid $20 each to be part of the event, began the day by picking up their cookie tins from the Chamber and their first cookie - cleverly topped with a “Frost White Lake” design.

From there, they went Santa Claus accepted last-minute gift ideas from local children Friday evening at the Santa House outside Montague City Hall.

• Madison Lajewski/Mirror

A participant in the White Lake Cookie Crawl picks up their tin Saturday morning.

At right, the first cookie of the Crawl awaited all who took part. Nineteen area businesses participated in the first annual Crawl. • Andy Roberts/Mirror to as many of the 19 participating businesses as they pleased to pick up more cookies. In some

cases, businesses offered The Chamber plans special deals to people to bring the Crawl back who were part of the to celebrate the holiday Cookie Crawl. season again next year.

Rothbury church offers help to pregnant women in need

Whitehall council Partnership debates composition of with Muskegon boards and committees Pregnancy Services Council members discuss how to increase interest in serving

By Madison Lajewski White Lake Mirror Writer WHITEHALL — Whitehall City Council member Steve Sikkenga proposed the city begin putting term limits on planning commission and other city boards at Tuesday’s meeting. This suggestion snowballed into a series of suggestions and arguments about who can serve, the application process, better civic education and more.

City manager Scott Huebler said the only drawback to adding limits on how long people can serve on each board is “there usually isn’t a large pool of applicants.” People serving on these boards currently make the choice annually if they want to continue serving, per the mayor’s request.

Councilmen Scott Brown and Tom Ziemer both agreed with Sikkenga, and said they would prefer the council have a say as to which applicants get picked to be on the boards. Councilwoman Debi Hillebrand brought up that some people are serving on multiple boards. She said she hopes for more community members to volunteer for boards and for increased community engagement. She also suggested that council should restrict the number of boards that people can serve on.

Councilwoman Tanya Cabala responded the city should promote more public civic education available either on the city website or Facebook page, which Hillebrand supported. Cabala also requested that more advertising be done for available seats on boards that are looking to be filled.

Due to the different opinions on this topic, it will be placed on the next meeting’s work session, on Jan. 15, 2024.

offers counseling, goods to families

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

ROTHBURY — Rothbury Community Church’s relationship with Muskegon Pregnancy Services has existed just about since the latter’s inception in 1985, but the church recently strengthened the relationship by offering a satellite space for MPS in the church offices.

The church’s services are collectively referred to as RiseUp, which stands for Real, Inspiring Support and Education for Uplifting Parents.

Kelli Ritter, a retired Montague teacher, mother of three and grandmother of eight, is a longtime church attendee and coordinates the church’s nursery ministry, in addition to being a MPS volunteer for nearly a decade. With help from other volunteers, she helms the church’s MPS connection as well.

The most visible sign of the church’s connection to MPS is what Ritter calls its “baby boutique.” Various items needed for pregnant women or parents of young children are there, compiled through church donations: Diapers, baby clothes, formula and more.

(The church cannot accept donations of cribs or car seats, but is always accepting donations of other items for babies and children, and in particular, winter clothing.)

The reason for the church’s decision to step up its aid for MPS, said pastor Bryan Wolff, was twofold.

First, the church noticed there was a geographical gap in services for those who might seek out MPS. The nearest similar offices are in Muskegon, Ludington and Fremont - not necessarily unreachable destinations, but not always easy to get to, especially for

Rothbury Community Church pastor Bryan Wolff (left) and volunteer Kelli Ritter are part of the church’s partnership with Muskegon Pregnancy Services. • Andy Roberts/Mirror those most in need of help.

The second reason, while the church is not a political organization, was that Wolff, Ritter and others at the church couldn’t help but notice the discussion around Michigan Proposal 3 last year before it was approved by state voters; the proposal read in part that it “establish(ed) new individual right to reproductive freedom, including right to make all decisions about pregnancy and abortion.” The proposal was placed on the ballot in response to the June 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision that repealed the 1973 Roe v.

Wade decision that previously guaranteed abortion access to all Americans, returning regulation of the matter to the states.

While the church did not take an official position on the proposal, Wolff and Ritter both felt inspired to

MPS team-up continued on page 3

2 DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 22, 2023 18

Echoes of History: History A salvaged shipwreck

By Barbara Bedau Brow Volunteer Contributor Anyone who has visited the White River Light Station on the Whitehall side of the White Lake Channel has probably seen this piece of ship wreckage located on the lawn.

You may wonder what it is and how it got there.

In the White Laker Observer for Wednesday, July 13, 1977, an article written

by Esther Jamieson appeared regarding a piece of shipwreck that was donated to the White River Light Station. With its discovery, it left many unanswered questions like: Who built the schooner? When? Where was she bound for? How many hands were lost, if any? Only God, and maybe Davy Jones, know the answers.

The stem of an unknown ship was discovered in October 1976 in Lake Michigan at Little Point Sable near Shelby. E. F. Porter of Okemos and 13 others assisted in the recovery effort.

The salvaged portion may have been part of a wrecked schooner. The stem of heavy oak, 12 feet long, has Roman numerals V and VI, which could be plimsoll markings. For the land-lover, the plimsoll line is a reference mark located on a ship’s hull that indicates the maximum depth to which the vessel may be safely immersed when loaded with cargo. This depth var-

ies with a ship’s dimensions, type of cargo, time of year, and the water densities encountered in port and at sea. There were heavy marine spikes and one heavy chain in perfect condition.

The wreckage was offered first to the State Historical Society, then to the Dawson Museum of Detroit. Since neither museum could use the remains, a report of the salvage was written in “Telescope,” a marine magazine.

It was in this publication that Richard Gebhart, then curator of the White River Museum, learned of the retrieved shipwreck which was available.

In fall 1976, Richard Hain and Vern Donley of the Fruitland Township Park Commission, using a tractor, forklift and truck, moved the heavy wreckage to the museum grounds. A concrete base was prepared for the precious marine memorial.

James Duncan, then chairman of the township’s Park Commission, invited the public to inspect the tangible bit of history located on the lighthouse grounds.

In the last 47 years since the wreckage was found, the elements of wind, rain, ice and snow have not been kind to the stem, which has deteriorated greatly. There may come a time when there isn’t anything left of it. That’s why it’s sometimes better to just leave the remains where they were found.

A piece of an unknown ship, discovered in 1977, is shown circa 2011.

The piece is currently displayed on the lawn of the White River Light Station.

• Photo by Gbozik Photography via Flickr

New Year’s Noon family party set for Dec. 29

By Virginia DeMumbrum Volunteer Contributor Bring the whole family to ring in the new year at a more kid-friendly time than midnight! Join us Friday, Dec. 29, for a New Year’s Noon celebration.

The fun starts at 11 a.m. and includes games, crafts, noisy fun, and a balloon drop at noon. There is no cost to attend and registration is not required, just come if you can. More info at wlclib. org/calendar.

Enjoy The New Yorker Cartoons on Libby Do you love to read the cartoons in The New Yorker, but don’t love the subscription price? You can read them for free through the library’s Libby

The

Bookworm

Bulletin

app! The New Yorker is one of hundreds of popular magazines available with your library card. Borrow a digital copy to read on your phone or tablet, and keep it as long as you like. You

can even choose “subscribe” and have the newest issue automatically downloaded for you. Some of the other great magazines available through Libby include Newsweek, Good HousekeepDeMumbrum ing, Reader’s Digest, Bon Appetit, Money Magazine, Taste of Home, Vanity Fair, Quiltmaker, and so many more.

FUN FACT: 1,057 digital magazines have been borrowed with White Lake library cards so far this year, up from

489 total in 2022. That’s more than a 200% increase in just one year! Digital magazines from the library are easy, convenient, and free, and they don’t clutter up your house. Not sure how to get started? Give us a call, or come to the Libby App Beginner Workshop Jan. 10! More info at wlclib.org/calendar.

Holiday Hours Reminder Just a reminder that the library will be closed for the holidays Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 25-26. We will also be closed for New Year’s Saturday, Dec. 30, and Monday, Jan. 1. We wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season and look forward to serving you in the coming year!

Police activity this week Behind the

Badge Whitehall Police Report Dec. 15 A driver came to the police office to report a driving complaint. The person told the officer that just before coming in, they were driving north on Mears Avenue in the 700 block and a vehicle passed them on the double yellow, speeding and gesturing with one finger on their hand. The complainant provided a vehicle description, plate and location of the car and described the driver. The driver of the second car was

located and told the officer the complainant had cut them off and nearly caused a crash, which led to their response. The second driver was warned about using reckless driving to make a point. No further action was taken.

At 5:31 p.m. Whitehall Police responded to the 400 block of Muskegon Ave. The caller reported his ex-girlfriend was now involved with his cousin and that when they stopped at his residence for a child exchange, the car broke down. The resident said the cousin was planning on coming back and fixing the car while still in the driveway, and he did not want him there. The officer responding to the call located the cousin and explained the situation and a wrecker was called to remove the car.

Dec. 16 A resident of the 1100 block of Colby St. called police and reported she had seen shadows moving past her sliding door. The officer responding to the 3:57 a.m. call was unable to locate anyone or any signs of a trespasser.

At 6:15 p.m. Whitehall Police were

called to the 1100 block of Colby St. as a resident there reported seeing shadows moving past her back windows.

When the officer arrived, he was unable to locate anyone in the area. The officer was called back to the same residence for the same issue at 7:17 p.m. and assisted by Montague Police, was still unable to locate anyone.

Dec. 17 Whitehall officers were dispatched to a call of a person standing outside the back door of an apartment in the 1100 block of Colby St. The officer arrived to the 6:18 a.m. call and was unable to locate anyone in the area.

An attempted break-in was reported at 4:46 p.m. At that time, a Florida resident called police to report that video cameras at an unoccupied residence caught a person attempting to break in. The caller had scared off the suspect by speaking to them over the video but when the officer arrived, he located broken door trim and a partially opened door. The caller recognized the suspect because he had broken into the same residence a few years

prior. The suspect is in custody on unrelated charges and the investigation is ongoing.

A friend of a resident of the 1100 block of Colby St. called to report shadows moving in the back yard of the house. The officer arrived and was unable to locate anyone and then spoke with the caller. The friend said that they were staying with the resident because the resident had been seeing shadows in the back yard. While speaking with the friend and caller during the 7:44 p.m. call she told the officer that she believed the apartment might be haunted by ghosts. No further action was taken.

Dec. 18 Whitehall Police were called to the middle school for a student that was refusing to go home. Police were called at 3:15 p.m. after the student refused to go with his grandparents who were there to pick him up. The 13-year-old remained uncooperative but was eventually transported to the grandparents’ residence.

THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR DECEMBER22, 22, 2023 2023 19 3 THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER

Montague children send in Christmas wishes in hopes that St. Nick will soon be here Dear Santa,

Dear Santa, How has your year been? Mine has been good.

It’s just been a regular year. Met lots of nice people, friends, ect. I love each and every person in my family (including the elves.) Well, to get to the main part, Christmas is coming really soon. As almost every kid writes what they want for Christmas, I would like to tell you too, of course. Me and my sister Morgan are probably some of the last kids to write their notes.

Well, for Christmas, there

are a few things I would like. I would like one of my favorites, a Harry Potter wand. Specifically, the elder wand, which is Dumbledore’s wand. If that isn’t possible, I would love a therian mask set that comes with a tail, gloves, and the mask. I would definitely prefer a fox or wolf one over anything. I tried to make one out of cardboard, but I failed miserably. So I would like one.

Thank you for reading this!

Merry Christmas.

With love,

- Madison

Dear Santa, What I would like this Christmas: Miniverse, a tablet, stitch stuff, stitch case for tablet, family games for my family, Drunk Elephant skincare please, Bubble skincare, and Star Wars Legos. Santa should know what else I want, so please get me some stuff. I hope I’m on the nice list.

- Jordan

MPS team-up help those who become pregnant and might otherwise feel like they have no one to turn to. (In addition to services for currently pregnant women, the satellite office also offers post-abortive counseling to those in need of it.)

“We wanted to be on the front lines of that kind of care,” Wolff said. “We see ourselves as providing a space, rather than this being a ministry of the church. We’re providing space for MPS to extend what they do in our local area.”

The satellite office does not provide any sort of medical treatment, though church volunteers do make themselves available to transport those seeking treatment to MPS’s main office, which is capable of providing pregnancy testing, ultrasounds and testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The satellite office in Rothbury does offer education and counseling. For those who take the time to avail themselves of the services the church offers, Ritter said, it provides what she likes to call “baby bucks” to shop in the “baby boutique.”

“We don’t want to just say, ‘We believe you should become a parent even though it’s stressful,’” Ritter said. “We want to say, ‘We are here for you and we can help you.’”

The services are also available to fathers, Ritter said, and if possible they are welcomed to join their partners for the education and counseling sessions.

Ritter can’t claim to know exactly what those facing crisis pregnancies

Please bring a present. I want an owlette present.

Love,

- Ella Dear Santa,

Dear Santa,

I want an Underminer for Christmas.

I also want Mr. Incredible and Elasta Girl, and Jack-Jack too! Dash and Violet, Screen Slayer. Lollipops and Christmas candy sound so good. I forgot Void and Brick, the crusher guy, fly guy, electric guy, fire breathing person, and a giant Donatello.

Love,

My name is Enid. I have been really good this year. I would like a big bicycle, a Gabby Dollhouse, and a teddy bear that sleeps. Merry Christmas.

Love,

- Jordan

- Enid

Dear Santa,

Hope you’re doing well. All I want is a snack cart, iPad, Apple Pen, headphones, and shoes.

Why I want this: • My own tablet is kind of bad • Better quality for iPad • Need my own snacks Apple Pen is a bit extra, so maybe not that.

Thank you Santa! This is just a quick note for you, so have a good day!

- Preston

continued from page 1

are feeling, as she was married while carrying each of her three children; however, she remembers how stressed she felt even with a solid support system in place, which informs her desire to help those without one.

“I still had times where I was in tears and thought, especially when it came to a boy - I didn’t have any brothers - ‘What do I do? How do I potty train? What do you do with a boy?’”

Ritter said. “Having someone who’s been through it, and you can just talk to them as a friend; that’s what we try to be.”

The education and counseling offered isn’t just through conversations with Ritter and other volunteers but also videos provided by BrightCourse, which produces content covering various stages of parenthood, from pregnancy to delivery and beyond.

The ‘and beyond’ part is one Ritter can’t stress enough; postpartum care is a recent addition to the services offered at MPS and, by extension, at the church. Some of the topics covered in postpartum sessions include nutrition, breast-feeding and car seat safety.

“At MPS, some of the experiences that I had through there, I would meet a client that’s in a crisis pregnancy and feels very alone, and then by the end they’re like, ‘I’m kind of sad I’m having the baby. I don’t want to stop coming in,’” Ritter said. “And we tell them, ‘You don’t have to. You can continue to come.’ That’s something that’s ex-

panded in the last few years. It doesn’t end at the birth of the child. We have parenting videos that go up through toddlerhood and into school, and even information about day care and what to look for, and all these big questions that moms and dads worry about.”

In addition to the “baby bucks” that can be earned by participating in counseling, Ritter said, parents are offered Bible study sessions that, if completed, earn them a full baby shower put on by the church. Parents can be connected through the church to other organizations that can provide further help, such as Love INC in Oceana County.

Ritter said she is also able to connect expectant mothers with a doula to be there during births if needed.

The reward for all this work, said Ritter, comes in the reactions from parents who receive the aid.

“I feel like God’s opened up a lot of different connections that we can pass along,” Ritter said. “One of our clients came in, and she saw what we had, and with very tear-filled eyes, she said, ‘I wouldn’t be able to do this for my baby, but you have brand-new clothing here, and you’re just giving it to me.’ I said, ‘Well, you’re earning it. You’re learning about how to be a good parent and what to expect during labor and delivery. You’re spending time, but that time is earning things that you need for your baby.’”

For the church, the MPS connection isn’t just about helping those facing crisis pregnancies now, but by getting them connected to other support services that can pay dividends for a young family down the line as well.

“I want to see people in our com-

Rothbury Community Church’s “baby boutique” (right) is stocked with items for babies and young children that can be ‘earned’ through participating in the RiseUp program.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror munity get connected to support systems, and a church, whether it’s Rothbury Community Church or another church in our area, is a great place for that,” Wolff said. “We even have other ministries here at the church directed towards young mothers, and I know other churches in the area do as well.

And (there are those directed to) young families, for those that don’t have anything, to help, to provide perspective, to get encouragement and things like that. The potential here is not just here at the MPS satellite ministry. It’s also getting connected with other churches or other ministries or other support systems in our area.”

community 420DECEMBER 22, 2023 WHITE LAKE MIRROR DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE THE OCEANA ECHO

e Mirror

SPORTS WHITEHALL • MONTAGUE • REETHS - PUFFER

LeagueNEWS favorite Vikings win rivalry game NONPROFIT SOURCE Camden Thompson posts remarkable triple-double in win

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor MONTAGUE — Whitehall can go basket for basket with almost anyone in the state, but what really fires coach Christian Subdon up is when his team plays strong defense.

The Vikings displayed that quality in spades in the first half of last Thursday’s rivalry game at Montague, locking the Wildcats down to the tune of a 32-9 halftime lead before they cruised to a 66-35 win.

“We really sat down and defended,” Subdon said. “Giving up nine points in a (half ) to a good team is not easy. I loved our defensive intensity. We were locked in on the game.”

The Vikings focused a lot of their defensive effort on Owen Raeth, knowing that he is capable of scoring points in bunches if he gets hot. While Raeth hit some difficult shots in the game and scored a team-best 11 points, the Vikings did what they set out to.

Whitehall’s rebounding was a huge factor in the game, and unsurprisingly it was junior star Camden Thompson leading the way on that front.

Thompson delivered an outstanding triple-double, posting a career-high 27 rebounds, including 15 offensive boards, to go with a game-high 23 points and 10 assists. The rebounding efforts were emblematic of the style of play Whitehall employed.

“We play physical,” Subdon said.

“That’s what we do. We play a physical style of basketball. Montague, for the most part, did a really good job trying

The Montague pep band gets the crowd fired up prior to last Thursday’s boys basketball game against Whitehall.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

to box us out, but we are relentless on Whitehall’s Camden Thompson glides past Montague’s Paul Olson on his way to the the glass.” basket during last Thursday’s game at Montague. Thompson had 23 points, 27 rebounds Ca’Mar Ready, who has emerged as and 10 assists in the Vikings’ win. • Andy Roberts/Mirror Whitehall’s #2 scorer behind Thompson, had a huge first half, scoring 10 of Whitehall’s 11 points in one stretch. He ended the night with 14 points.

“Most of my buckets come from transition and my teammates looking up the court when they rebound it,” the soft-spoken Ready said. “I played AAU a little bit over the summer, and that definitely helped.”

Montague coach Nick Thaler said it was apparent from the first half that the Vikings wanted the game more and told his team so in the locker room at halftime.

“We just weren’t playing tough enough,” Thaler said. “That’s hard to do when they consistently do that a lot.

You see it on film and you know every-

Rivalry game Whitehall’s Kyle Stratton drives to the hoop during last Thursday’s game at Montague. continued on page 5 The Vikings won, 66-35. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

R-P’s Travis Ambrose signs with CMU

Rocket star picks gridiron offer after also starring in basketball

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor MUSKEGON — Reeths-Puffer senior Travis Ambrose didn’t play football as a junior, but got “suckered in,” in coach Cody Kater’s words, the next offseason when Rockets’ defensive coordinator Jari Brown told him he was too special an athlete not to give the gridiron another look.

The journey Ambrose started by agreeing with Brown hit a key checkpoint Wednesday when he signed a national letter of intent to play at Central Michigan, an occasion the school celebrated with an afternoon ceremony.

The 6-7 all-state star is signing with the Chippewas as a tight end, but says he’s open to playing wherever CMU needs him - including offensive line, if that’s how it shakes out.

It’s that kind of team-first philosophy that spoke to Ambrose when he dove full bore into football.

Reeths-Puffer’s Travis Ambrose signs his national letter of intent to Central Michigan to play football Wednesday at the high school. With Ambrose are his parents, Matt and Tori.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

“Just the brotherhood that it builds,” Ambrose said. “The kids here at Reeths-Puffer, I’ve never had that close of a team. I can rely on them with my life. I trust in them. The coaches, I can trust in them. I can talk to them about life. It’s not just football. It’s a community game.”

Ambrose played flag football as a youngster - his parents wouldn’t per-

mit him to play tackle football prior to high school - and was part of the varsity team as a sophomore before electing to play tennis as a junior instead.

He moved to Michigan from California in large part because COVID-19 had wiped out basketball season out west and he wanted to go somewhere where he’d be permitted to play. His parents later joined him, but the lengths to which Ambrose will go to compete had already been established. As R-P ath-

letic director Cliff Sandee said during the ceremony, the jump from R-P to CMU won’t be nearly as difficult or taxing for Ambrose as his leap from the United States’ west coast to Michigan’s.

For two years, basketball seemed for all the world like Ambrose’s path to a college scholarship - he continues to be, along with teammate, good friend

CMU signing continued on page 5

Rivalry game

continued from page 4

thing that’s coming, but when you’re playing, it’s totally different. Matching their physicality is going to be challenging for most teams, but at the end of the day, we have to do better, and that falls on me as the coach.”

Montague was able to get some offense going in the second half, and in fact much of the third quarter looked like a track meet. Whitehall continued to attack the basket as it had in the first half, but the Wildcats got their share of buckets too; it only took four minutes for them to eclipse their first-half point total.

Thaler credited both Raeth and Isaiah Atchison, who had six points and seven boards while shadowing Thompson the entire night, with strong games.

“We have to do a better job collectively of helping Isaiah get rebounds,” Thaler said. “Usually whoever wants the ball more rebounding-wise is going to get

CMU signing

continued from page 4

and Ferris State signee Jaxson Whitaker, the driving force of the hoops team - but the football bug bit him for good in June when he went to a CMU camp with R-P coaches and a few other players.

Kater said it took about 15 minutes for Chippewas’ coach Jim McElwain to take notice of Ambrose at the camp. That didn’t surprise Kater, who said he called Ambrose “our unicorn” when letting CMU coaches know he’d be coming to the camp.

McElwain quickly plugged Kater, a CMU grad himself, for more information about Ambrose as he contemplated an offer.

“The second or third question from Coach McElwain was, ‘You’re a Chip. Can he play here?’ (I said,) ‘Absolutely,’” Kater said. “He’s got the right pedigree.

He’s got the right work ethic towards a goal; he was showing that in basketball. He’s resilient; he’s been away from home for a few years. His sister (Madie) plays water polo at Michigan. He’s got all those characteristics of becoming a great player and being one of the brothers of the (CMU) tradition.”

Kater’s reply was enough for McElwain; by the end of that night, Ambrose had his offer.

“That (offer) really made a huge impact in my life

THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER THE WHITE LAKE MIRROR DECEMBER22, 22,2023 202321 5 those balls.”

Whitehall, meanwhile, is off to the start it wanted as the Vikings pursue the outright conference title this year. The Vikings split two games with Ludington last year and both teams swept the rest of their West Michigan Conference Lakes foes. The focus required to do that, Subdon said, has made it easy to keep his team focused on that task again this year.

“You’ve got to come in laser-focused on the team in front of you because if you don’t, you could lose,” Subdon said. “We’ve got to be locked in and focused on the task ahead of us. I think we’ve done a good job thus far. We’ve just got to keep them engaged.”

The team is eager to measure itself against larger schools at this week’s holiday tournament at Cornerstone University, with matchups scheduled against Hamtramck and East Grand Rapids.

“I’m super excited to see a team from the east side that’s going to be all in our shirts,” Subdon said of Hamtramck. “We’re going to see how tough we really are. We’ve got some huge schools; EGR is 2,800 and changed everything completely,” Ambrose said.

Armed with even more motivation than before, Ambrose starred on the gridiron this fall. While his raw numbers - 25 catches, 304 yards, six touchdowns - weren’t eye-popping, they were enough to earn Ambrose a spot on the coaches’ association Division 2 all-state team. Ambrose announced his commitment to CMU Nov. 2, less than a week after the Rockets’ season ended.

According to the Chippewas’ website, Ambrose picked CMU over several Division II basketball offers. As much as CMU liked Ambrose’s high school production, it’s betting on his talent and who he is as a person even more.

“I think he is a culture character guy,” Kater said.

“He’s going to help your culture because of his character. He’s not going to be a grade issue. He’s not going to be an issue off the field with other players. He’s going to be one of the 100 percent guys.”

“Coach McElwain has a great history of developing players. That’s encouraging and a good spot to be for him, with that staff, because they’ve seen a lot and developed a lot of different talent. That part of it, we felt great about him being there because of that, with a staff that’s confident enough in their ability to see talent and not have to chase the Twitter likes and all of those types of things. Those guys obviously saw something that they liked.”

Vikes stun Trojans with late 3

By Andy Roberts

students. I’m excited to see how we stack up. Last year, we didn’t stack up great in the Christmas tournament. We kind of got knocked down a notch.”

Sports in Brief Boys Basketball

Hudsonville 64 Reeths-Puffer 52 The Eagles broke open a close game with a trio of third-quarter threepointers. Travis Ambrose had 20 points, and Jaxson Whitaker added 19.

Whitehall 77 Manistee 37 Whitehall put together a dominant performance and had 4 players score in double figures. Camden Thompson had 18 points and 20 rebounds, and Kal Koehler added 17 points. Brock Morningstar scored 15.

Ludington 65 Montague 53 Isaiah Atchison led Montague with 21 points, but the Orioles prevailed behind 34 points from David Shillinger, now Ludington’s all-time leading scorer. “An outstanding accomplishment,” coach Nick Thaler said.

Whitehall 61 Hamtramck 51 The Vikings (6-0) scored a big win in the Cornerstone Holiday Tournament. Camden Thompson led the way again, with 18 points and 22 rebounds. Kal Koehler led 3 others in double figures with 16 points.

Girls Basketball Ludington 40 Whitehall 22 A stifling Orioles defense held the Vikes to two first-half points. Lexi Daggett led Whitehall with 11 points in the game.

West Ottawa 57 Reeths-Puffer 15 The Rockets were unable to get much going against the Panthers. Gabby Reynolds scored 24 points for West Ottawa. R-P stats were not reported.

Grand Haven 70 Montague 7 The Division 1 power program shut down the Montague attack. Adilynn Peterson scored 3 points for the Wildcats (1-4).

East Kentwood 60 Reeths-Puffer 49 R-P (0-4) showed considerable improvement against the unbeaten Falcons. Brooklynn Tornes had 21 points, and Irelyn Niklasch had 11.

Wrestling Montague girls win Kent Co. Classic Wildcats top field of 22 girls teams Five of Montague’s seven wrestlers took 3rd place or better at the tournament, highlighted by runner-up finishes from Savannah Winkleblack (110), Abby Thommen (130), Emma Pendell (140-145) and Trisha Beckman (190-235). Ava Pelton (155) added a 3rd-place finish.

White Lake Mirror Editor WHITEHALL — Through an 0-4 start to the season, Whitehall had not had a chance to see how its team would respond in a close game down the stretch. The Vikings got a look at such a spot Tuesday night against Fruitport, and the results were good.

Lianne Fagan drilled a three-pointer, her only points of the game, in the final minute to put Whitehall ahead for good in a 39-38 victory.

Fagan showed some of the resilience Whitehall needed to win the game in the fourth. She committed an unforced turnover earlier in the quarter and was subbed out, with coach Brian Milliron telling her she needed to have confidence in herself to match the confidence the coaches had in her.

Down one in the final minute, Fagan showed that confidence in knocking down an open trey.

“I just thought, in that moment, that I was open and I didn’t want to have another turnover, so I was like, ‘I’m going to take the shot, and the worst (thing) is, if I air-ball it, we’ll get a rebound,’” Fagan said. “But it turned out how I wanted it to.”

It was rarely easy for Whitehall, which had 16 turnovers and only 15 points in a tied game at halftime

Montague’s Paul Olson looks for an open teammate while Whitehall’s DJ Jamison defends during last Thursday’s game in Montague. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

Reeths-Puffer goes 3-2 at Williamston Invite The Rockets defeated Durand, Swan Valley and Williamston, losing to Madison and Lakewood. Ian Cook, Jake Rozycki and Sage Secrest each recorded 5-0 records. Arin Maynard and Nathan Stafford went 4-1.

Reeths-Puffer wins both at Zeeland West Quad R-P rolled to a 72-7 win over Zeeland West and defeated G.R. West Catholic, 66-8. Jake Rozycki, Ian Cook, Sage Secrest and Nathan Reeves each recorded a pair of pin victories in the quad.

Hockey Bay City 3 Reeths-Puffer 2 (OT) R-P lost a tough battle by shootout in the first game of the Bay City Tournament. Ricky Wiggins and Jaxon Stone each scored a goal.

Reeths-Puffer 6 Kingsford 2 Six different Rockets scored in the win. Connor Anderson had an assist in addition to his goal, and Connor Stawski had two assists.

Reeths-Puffer 4 Grand Haven 2 Tyler Tindall had a big night for the Rockets (6-4, 2-2 O-K Fischer), scoring two goals and recording an assist Mark Stewart made 15 saves.

Whitehall’s Clare Westerlund tries to grab a loose ball while a Fruitport player tries to keep her away during Tuesday’s game at Whitehall. The Vikings won the game, 39-38. • Andy Roberts/Mirror

and trailed by seven going into the fourth quarter, but Milliron was impressed with his team’s ability to stay in the moment and continue to fight.

“The fact that we were able to turn that around in the second half was all triggered by our defense,” Milliron said. “We were able to cause some turnovers for them.”

The comeback began right away in the fourth, as Kendall Osborne scored and Lexi Daggett

made a three to cut Whitehall’s deficit to two in the first minute.

Osborne tied it up shortly thereafter with a bucket through a foul, and the two teams battled to a near standstill for the next few minutes leading up to Fagan’s pivotal shot.

The Trojans came into the game with a 3-0 record and brimming with confidence, adding to the impressiveness of Whitehall’s

Big win

continued on page 6

Cheer Montague, R-P open seasons at Mona Shores The Rockets finished 2nd of 5 Division 2 teams, with 679.32 points.

Montague competed in only the first 2 rounds, scoring 306.5 points to defeat Shelby, the only other D-3 school to compete.

Whitehall gets season going at Grandville Whitehall finished 3rd of the 4 Division 3 teams to compete, scoring 251.52 points while competing only in the first 2 rounds of the meet.

Bowling Whitehall girls defeat Ludington The Viking girls earned an 18-12 win behind strong games from Ava Garcia, who bowled a 172 and a 151. The boys lost to the Orioles, 18-12, despite a 220 from Mason Slaughter and a 205 by Phoenix Hoffmeyer.

Montague teams fall to Orchard View The Montague boys lost to the Cardinals, 22-8. Logan Hunter bowled a high game of 205 for the ‘Cats. The girls team fell, 26-4, scoring all their points by winning the second Baker game. Jordyn Tolan had a 147.

Whitehall teams dominate WM Christian Both Viking teams rolled to 29-1 victories over the Warriors. Ava Garcia led the girls with a 167, and Morgan Garcia rolled a 164. Phoenix Hoffmeyer’s 189 paced the boys, and Mason Slaughter rolled a 185.

22 DECEMBER22, 22,2023 2023 THE THEWHITE OCEANA ECHO 6 DECEMBER LAKE MIRROR

Aebig’s 100th career win highlights Holiday Mat Cat Duals

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

Montague’s Kayden Johnson (left) tries to beat a Fremont opponent to a loose ball during Friday’s WMC Lakes game at Montague. The Wildcats lost, 42-34.

• Andy Roberts/Mirror

Undermanned Wildcat girls show fight in defeat

By Andy Roberts White Lake Mirror Editor

MONTAGUE — Already facing an uphill battle against one of the West Michigan Conference Lakes’ top teams Friday, Montague coach Jess DeBruin noted her shorthanded roster. She put less store by the outcome of her team’s 42-34 defeat to Fremont than by how her team responded to the circumstances.

In that area, DeBruin saw a lot to like. Though the Packers built up a sizable lead over the first three quarters, her team played with focus and effort the whole way and cut into that lead in the fourth, outscoring Fremont 16-6 in those eight minutes.

“They didn’t give up,” DeBruin said.

“That was the biggest thing. We had, technically, five varsity girls (tonight).

We had to pull up two (from JV). Their effort all the way through, it just shows that it’s there and that we’re getting there.”

The ‘Cats were without several players, including injured Braylyn Bultema, leaving them with just seven, including the two JV call-ups - Gentry Knop and Kayden Johnson. DeBruin said Bultema, who left the Whitehall game the previous week with a knee injury, was doing well and the team was hoping for good news from an MRI scheduled for this week.

Given the circumstances, Fremont’s decision to employ a full-court press early in the game was unsurpris-

ing, as were the Wildcats’ struggles to break that press. Had the game been played only in the half-court sets, Montague likely would have won, but Fremont scored several baskets off turnovers the press created.

DeBruin said there’s not a lot that can be done to improve how the team breaks the press, which Ludington also used against the Wildcats early this season, other than to continue to get looks against it.

“You can’t really fast-track it,” DeBruin said. “It’s just the confidence; the confidence that they can do it.

Obviously, there’s drills you can do in practice.

“We’re getting better with the pressure (when we have) the ball. The little things are going to turn into big things, and that’s part of the little things we’ve got to get better at.”

Without many other scoring options, it fell to Addison Pranger to create the offense for Montague, and Pranger put forth a game effort in doing so, scoring a team-best 13 points.

Amanda Cederquist used her size to get eight, and freshman Avah Vandermeulen hit a pair of three-pointers.

“She’s the leader on the court and the girls know that,” DeBruin said of Pranger. “When she gets her confidence that she can hit those shots, they’re going to fall.”

Mia Clemence scored 14 points for Fremont, and Jessica Bennett added 13.

Montague senior Chris Aebig achieved a career milestone at Saturday’s Holiday Mat Cat Duals, scoring his 100th victory as part of a perfect 5-0 day individually.

Aebig, already a three-time state qualifier, achieved his mark by pinning Cale Howie of Tri-County in the first period of his third match of the day. In fact, said coach Kris Maddox, all of Aebig’s opponents so far have gone down by either pin or technical fall.

“Chris has been dominant thus far this season,” Maddox said.

Fletcher Thommen also scored a 5-0 day for Montague, and Jimmy Thommen went 4-1 in his season debut after being medically cleared

Montague wrestler Chris Aebig celebrated his 100th career victory with coach Kris Maddox Saturday following the Mat Cat Duals in Montague.

• Chris Aebig/Courtesy photo from an internal injury.

The Wildcats notched a 2-3 record as a team against some tough competition. Montague dropped its first three matches, to Cadillac, Mattawan and Tri-County, before closing the day with wins over Mus-

kegon Catholic and the Reeths-Puffer B squad.

“We have a few kids out with injuries and sickness and hope the two weeks before we compete again will allow for us to heal up,” Maddox said.

Big win response.

“They came in and punched us in the mouth a little bit,” Milliron said.

“For the first time all year, we kind of responded from a punch, which was a great thing to see.”

The Vikes had success early with the press, building a 10-3 lead, but Fruitport figured out a solution to the press to storm back and take a second-quarter lead. Daggett hit a tying three-pointer in the final seconds of the half to knot the score at 15.

Daggett and Osborne each scored 13 points to lead the Vikes; Osborne also had seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Their leadership has been important to the team in the early going, but so too has that of the team’s three fourth-year members of the program: Taylor Ottinger, Allie Van Antwerp and Lucy Zamojcin, the latter of whom had a team-best eight rebounds Tuesday.

continued from page 5

“Lexi transferred (in) a couple years ago, and Kendall transferred this year, so that integration piece is still there,” Milliron said. “These three seniors, they’ve done such a great job in the off-season, and since then, too, of just integrating the kids in. That’s going to come. It’s going to take time, but the gelling is there.”

In the meantime, Whitehall showed Tuesday it can win games with sheer nerve. Fagan said the team’s win could be credited to its desire.

“I think we just wanted it more,” Fagan said. “It just came down to that. We just really wanted it, especially in our home gym for the second home game of the year. The first one didn’t go the way we wanted to. We really wanted to turn that around and get the first home win.”

The Whitehall JV team scored a 3123 win behind eight points by Maddi Wiggins.

Vikings earn top spot at Hart Invitational

By Andy Roberts

White Lake Mirror Editor Whitehall won Saturday’s Hart Invitational, scoring 269 points to Three Rivers’ 252 thanks to four weight-class champions and five runners-up.

Viking champions were Caden Varela (138 pounds), Ryne Christensen (150), Darnell Mack (157) and Gavin Craner (175). Christensen won all his matches by either pin or technical fall, while Varela capped his day with an overtime triumph over Hart’s Ty Thomas.

The Whitehall runners-up were Liam Leeke (144), Ryan Goodrich (165), Trenton TenBrock (190), Blake Morningstar (215) and Jason Smith (285).

Whitehall’s Hunter Peterson takes down Hart’s Emmanuel Ortega during Saturday’s Hart Invitational. Peterson won the match for the Vikings’ B team, and the Whitehall varsity took first place. • Brendan Samuels/Mirror

The White Lake Mirror © is published weekly at P.O. Box 194, Mears, MI 49436 • All rights reserved.

whitelakemirror@gmail.com • December 22, 2023 • Volume 1 • Issue 6 Office hours: Mondays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Office phone: 231-301-8149, or for breaking news, please call 231-923-0751.

THE OCEANA ECHO DECEMBER 22, 2023 23

24 DECEMBER 22, 2023 THE OCEANA ECHO

Thank you to all our customers!!

We are celebrating 80 years in Hesperia, and we will be celebrating all year long! Watch our ads, and follow us on facebook, for 80th Anniversary deals and events coming soon!!

We sincerely appreciate your patronage, and hope to be here for many years to come.

Happy

3

$

New Year We will be open New Year’s Eve until 8pm, 8pm, and 8am to 8pm New Years Day. Day.

lb.

Ground Beef from Chuck

4

2

$

79

$

29

lb.

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast or Chicken Wings

2

49

$

lb.

Boneless Beef English Roast

4

49 lb.

Baby Back Ribs

USDA Choice

Value Pack

Large Pack

Single Pack

2/$

Fresh Raspberries or Blackberries 6 oz. Pkg.

Lemons or Limes

Extra Large

Green Seedless Grapes

2

Variety Apples

2

3

3 lb. Bag

$ 49

2 lb. Bag

$ 99

lb.

$ 99

Happy New Year from all of us at Ed’s Orchard Market!

Thank you for helping us celebrate our 80th Anniversary all year long!

We love our customers! - Ed’s Prego Pasta Sauce 2/$

Hunt’s Tomatoes or Tomato 2/$ Sauce

Chi-Chi’s Salsa

Dry Roasted or Honey Roasted $ Peanuts

Hormel Mary Kitchen 2/$ Hash

Soft ‘N Good White $ Bread

4

23 - 24 oz.

16 oz.

Coca-Cola Products

2

69

Buy O N E

GET ONE

5

2/$

48 oz.

4

$

99

Pepperidge Farm Layer Cake

NOW CARRYING A FULL LINE OF LIQUOR AND SPIRITS. STOP IN AND SEE OUR SELECTION

Chicken Pot Pie

$

Fresh-Baked French Bread

$

22 oz.

Pepsi Products

19.6 oz.

8

2/$

399

$

GET ONE

16 oz.

Buy T W O

GET ONE

2

Buy O N E

Doritos

12

3

FREE!

9 - 10.75 oz.

Coors Light, Labatt or Miller Lite

Tropicana Pure Premium or Light Orange $ Juice 52 oz.

10.5 - 11.5 oz.

29 Tortilla Chips

15 pk., 50 2 Liter btls. FREE! 1212 pk., FREE! 12 oz. cans $ 2 Liter btls. 2/$ oz. cans (plus deposit) (plus deposit) (plus deposit) (plus deposit)

Breyers Ice Cream

In the Deli & Bakery!

Hot & Fresh Boneless Wings

7

5

14 oz.

7-Up Products

4

3

14.5 - 15 oz.

Maxwell House Coffee

99

Corona, Heineken, Stella or Modelo 12 pk.,

15

99 11.2 12 oz. btls. $ (plus deposit)

Shredded or Chunk $ Cheese 16 oz.

99

3

99

$ 99 lb.

each

16 oz.

499 249 499

Fresh Baked Gourmet Cookies $ 10 ct.

AD EFFECTIVE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 THRU SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2023 SORRY, NO RAINCHECKS. PRICING GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES.